Johnny Depp Tried To Get Fired From One Of His Most Famous Franchises
Here's why Johnny Depp worked to get himself fired.
This article is more than 2 years old
Johnny Depp became one of Hollywood’s largest icons for his roles in films like What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), and for starring as fan-revered Jack Sparrow in a total of five Pirates of The Caribbean movies since 2003. However, a recent article released by Collider revealed that the very show that likely launched his career, 21 Jump Street (1987), is not only one that did Johnny Depp not want to be on, but that the actor actually took steps to try and get himself fired from it altogether.
The feature detailed that Johnny Depp had never intended to or even had any desire to act on television at all. He was quoted saying, “I felt like I was in a prison creatively,” and that the only reason that motivated him to audition for the part of Tom Hanson was because he needed the money. However, Johnny Depp was allegedly so unhappy playing that part that he resorted to unprofessional antics, like carelessly messing up his trailer, in order to be relieved of his contractual obligations to the show.
Still, it seems as though the actor’s feelings about 21 Jump Street are not all rooted in negativity. Prior to Johnny Depp making his cameo in the 2021 theatrical adaptation of the series, Access revealed that he would only do so if his former co-star Peter DeLuise (Doug Penhall) joined him on set because of how much he enjoyed working with the actor at the time. Cheat Sheet also pointed out that despite Johnny Depp’s past attitudes towards the show, he has publicly expressed his gratitude for what the show did for his career.
Johnny Depp’s feelings towards and actions on the set of 21 Jump Street are long behind him. However, despite having achieved the level of success in Hollywood that he has, he has also been the subject of much drama and controversy relating to both his personal life and professional endeavors in more recent years. His high-profile and widely publicized divorce to Amber Heard and the legal allegations that followed, ironically, not only cost him his role as Grindlewald in the Harry Potter prequel series Fantastic Beasts, but rumors have suggested that Disney will likely kill off Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow from the franchise’s upcoming sixth installment because of the public upheaval sparked by his divorce. Yet, in contrast, the rumors have also indicated that Disney might leave an opening for Johnny Depp to reprise his role in subsequent movies down the line.
Whether or not fans of Johnny Depp and Captain Jack Sparrow will ever get to see the actor portray the iconic character again still remains a question. However, the drama circulating in his personal life has not stopped fans young and old from appreciating the iconic character that Johnny Depp brought to life over two decades ago. By that same token, Depp also seems to be grateful for and realize the enormous love for the character. A video posted on the Twitter-based fan account Savvy? Depicts Johnny Depp graciously performing as Captain Sparrow for one of his youngest fans. Thus, while the fate of Jack Sparrow and other fan-favorite characters hangs in the balance, fans can still certainly take solace in the fact that whatever the outcome, Johnny Depp will still continue to outwardly show appreciation for his fandom.
