With all the buzz about Johnny Depp’s sketchy engagement to Amber Heard, I nearly forgot that he’s an actor by profession. Okay that was a low blow, and I don’t mean to insult Amber. Like I’ve said before, I’d go there too if I was her. I’d suck it up and commit to a life full of scarf racks too. I’d get comfy with the everpresent smell of patchouli wafting into my soul. As a rising actress, all of the trappings for the exposure and prestige of being Mrs. Depp would be worth it. With no prenup in sight, it would be a done deal.
Anyway, let’s take ourselves back to Johnny’s work as an actor. The guy lives to be in costume. Most of his characters — especially the recent ones — involve him spending lots of time in the chair while lots of eyeliner, pale foundation, and wigs are applied. Dude adores getting lost in quirky characters, and I think he secretly loves hiding from the world in plain sight. He can’t do “normal” anymore. The last time he tried to be an “ordinary” guy (The Tourist), Johnny came off as completely awkward. He needs the makeup. At the same time, the makeup needs him because Johnny has kept many makeup artists in jobs. Now the Makeup and Hairstylists Guilds are presenting him with a special award:
Johnny Depp is known for hitting the big screen with roles requiring an entirely new image (a mad scientist in 1990’s Edward Scissorhands, the Hatter in 2012’s Alice in Wonderland) so it comes as no surprise that the award-winning actor will be honored at this year’s Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Guild Awards at Paramount Studios on Feb. 15.
The award will be presented by the actor’s makeup artist Joel Harlow, who has worked with Depp for The Lone Ranger, Dark Shadows, The Rum Diary and the Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.
“Makeup and hair artisans agree that Johnny Depp is a wonderful selection to receive our first Distinguished Artisan Award,” said Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Guild president Susan Cabral-Ebert in a statement. “He, probably more than any other actor working today, uses the skills of our members to delineate his characters. Depp has constantly been an outstanding supporter of our crafts, ultimately respectful and appreciative of our members’ abilities and generous with his creative collaboration. A great artist himself, he allows others to shine.”
Depp’s upcoming roles includes starring in Wally Pfister’s sci-fi action, Transcendence, and Rob Marshall’s comedy fantasy, Into the Woods, both which Harlow will also take part in as Depp’s makeup artist.
[From Hollywood Reporter]
“More than any other actor working today, uses the skills of our members to delineate his characters.” So true. There’s a subtle shade at work here, but I think it’s purely unintentional. By “allow[ing] others to shine,” Johnny gets to rest a little easier by slipping into one of his trademark quirky characters. The funny thing is that he really is a talented actor, but he relies so much upon the crutch of elaborate hair and makeup. It’s hard to take him seriously anymore when he’s dressed as a normal guy. I think Johnny feels that way too.
Photos courtesy of StudioCanal, Walt Disney Pictures & Vintage Roadshow Pictures
Bwahahhaahha I laughed so hard! The Makeup guild just highlighted why I Cant with his movies at ALL
+1, me too.
Exactly, what a bore he’s become.
I think Johnny Depp still has great depth. No, I don’t, I just wanted to say Depp and depth.
I still like Johnny, I’m not going to lie. At some point every actor star starts to fade. Either the fans have grown tired of them as shown by some people on this site or they are no longer box office draws. Take the great Robert Deniro and Al Pacinio, they have went from being the main lead in films to the supporting cast. The last film starring Deniro (Grudge Match) only grossed a little over 7 mil it’s opening weekend. Some people were saying they only went to see it because Kevin Hart was in it, not because of Deniro and Stallone. Depp needs to find a role that will make people remember that he is a good actor and not just a character actor.
I used to be a huge fan of his. Unfortunately, I don’t see him taking on any roles that showcase his talent alone. And he is very, very talented. He brought characters to life that few others could. But now, he’s so addicted to the wigs and makeup that there is no “him” anymore. Who knows who Johnny Depp even is these days? Does he?
What’s funny about him getting a very speical award? Do you think you are funny for making fun of something that is not worthy of making fun of?
I’m so totally meh about Depp nowadays. Like..ugh. I get it, quirky quirky shananagans. In the words of Family Guy, he’s starting to insist upon himself.
…starting to insist upon himself. hehehhe.
I don’t mind that make-up is part of Depp’s acting arsenal. Charles Laughton, Charlie Chaplin, and many great actors in film and stage have used make-up to become a character.
Charlie Chaplin was a silent film star, though, and basically played one character. In the days of the silents, over-emoting and facial expression was critical because you couldn’t moderate tone in voice. Laughton didn’t always take characters that were borne of make-up. It just seems like that’s all Depp does anymore. The characters are always over the top, with less nuance. It’s as if he has come to rely on the make-up for roles, not that the make-up enhances his acting, if you know what I mean.
I meant modulate, duh.
Hahaha! This is the best post today!
There are a handful of actors who seem more talented than they are because of the roles that they choose. I’m thinking of Brad Pitt, Natalie Portman – I count Johnny Depp among that group.
Whilst I rate Brad Pitt, I defo think that if he’d been in Twelve Monkeys he’d never have gotten as far as he has today. But defo – pick a few good ‘meaty’ roles and you can afford to take those pay cheque jobs and pass them off as ‘misjudged career move’.
ITA, Renee. At this point, I’d even rank Brad Pitt’s abilities above Johnny Depp’s. Depp has lost the plot.
Johnny at his worst is better than wooden Brad.
The Tourist was such a shit film.
Of course even when he’s being honored some will find a way to turn it into an insult. I’m not fond of him always covering up his face in roles, but obviously these people appreciate an actor that creates roles were those in that industry can have a lot of fun doing their job and get wild with their creativity. How boring it must be to always only have to make people look normal. I’m sure the costume people like him, too
I don’t really get what’s wrong with Depp growing into a quirky actor who only plays crazy people in loads of makeup. That is what he loves, and there is a place for it in Hollywood. He doesn’t owe it to anyone to play the straight man if he doesn’t feel drawn to it anymore. We have plenty of great actors who play normal guys, what’s wrong with having a great actor who plays kooky characters now?
I agree with everything you said, Patricia.
IMHO, it seems that if an actor only plays serious or dramatic parts no one ever has a problem with that. But if they only do comedy or only do off beat characters, people call them one trick ponies. For ex. Christian Bale’s gain weight / lose weight thing that he’s done several times in movies is hardly ever called out for being gimmicky or considered a crutch, but that’s because he does “serious movies”. People seem to think that the only way to be seen as a “real actor” is if you mostly do gut-wrenching parts were lots of yelling , crying, and maybe something dehumanizing happens to the character during the movie is involved. Probably because those are the kinds of roles that the Academy and other award shows honor and uplift.
Good point. Just think that these days his characters are mostly hair and makeup, and that’s a shame. He’s selling his talent short.
I think what you’re seeing is people who have a problem with his personal life right now and those opinions are bleeding into his professional life. I personally have been disappointed with some of his life choices lately, but I still have a huge amount of respect for his work as an actor
So this incredibly talented actor is getting honred and getting an award he deserves, what’s to make fun of? I really don’t get why people on here turn everything about him into a joke! It’s really sad because he’s such a nice and humble man who is always nice to everyone.
I think he was awesome in Alice in the Wonderland, makeup and all. I don’t think he needs the makeup but that he was fortunate to get those unconventional roles and nail them.
“He can’t do “normal” anymore. The last time he tried to be an “ordinary” guy (The Tourist), Johnny came off as completely awkward.”
Actually the last time he played a “normal” character was in The Rum Diary and he is playing “normal” in his 2 very upcoming movies Transcendence and Mortdecai. He was pretty good in The Tourist and the character was supposed to be awkward so he played it well.
I actually liked ‘The Tourist’–it wasn’t as bad as I had heard/was expecting. The main problem was that they didn’t have any chemistry whatsoever–which sort of worked, because she had just met him and was in love w/another man–but I wasn’t really feeling it when she did fall in love with him. It would’ve been better if she hadn’t fallen in love w/him, was loyal to the real guy, but found out it was him at the end.
Rum Diaries was a boring movie–like ‘The Great Gatsby’–the performances were fine, it was pretty—but the movie itself was boring. To be honest, him and Amber worked really well together, and they were the reason I watched it all the way through.
My only input is that he looks mega hot in that pic with Angelina!
Everyone’s star fades. Everyone’s. When it happens, people search for a reason why it happened & they will most certainly find one. The same thing happens to each of us, in varying degrees.
wait… he played a “Mad scientist” in edward scissorhands? Pretty sure that was Vincent Price (who is actually builed as “The Inventor”, but nonetheless)… whoever wrote that clearly doesn’t remember the movie. That would be like the classic mistake of calling Frankenstein’s Monster “Frankenstein”. Sigh. SMH
When is Johnny Depp ever dressed as a normal guy anymore?
He’ll be dressed as a “normal” guy in his upcoming movies “Transcendence” & “Mortdecai”. Will you care to watch those or you just watch him in movies like Alice In Wonderland?
Personally, I’m far more impressed by actors who can do a lot more with less. Perfect example: Tatiana Maslany in “Orphan Black”. Apart from hairstyle differences and costume changes (nothing crazy apart from one character), she plays multiple characters very well. Not only that, she plays characters who PLAY other characters and she’s totally believable. Not to mention having to share the screen with herself multiple times.