In the 2000s, Depp became one of the most commercially successful film stars by playing Captain Jack Sparrow in the Walt Disney swashbuckler film series Pirates of the Caribbean (2003–2017).
Depp also began his longtime collaboration with the director Tim Burton, portraying the leads in the films Edward Scissorhands (1990), Ed Wood (1994), and Sleepy Hollow (1999).
These included Cry-Baby (1990), What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), Benny and Joon (1993), Dead Man (1995), Donnie Brasco (1997), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), and The Ninth Gate (1999). In the 1990s, Depp acted mostly in independent films with auteur directors, often playing eccentric characters. Depp made his feature film debut in the horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and appeared in Platoon (1986), before rising to prominence as a teen idol on the television series 21 Jump Street (1987–1990). He moved to Los Angeles at age 20, where he was introduced to actor Nicolas Cage, who advised him to pursue acting. īorn in Kentucky, Depp aspired to be a musician, and was a member of several rock bands. His films have grossed over $8 billion worldwide, making him one of Hollywood's most bankable stars. He is the recipient of multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, and has been nominated for three Academy Awards and two BAFTA awards. John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician.
