Johnny Depp’s Best Roles

Johnny Depp is one of modern cinema’s most distinctive and recognizable stars, known for building a career out of playing eccentric outsiders and larger-than-life characters. He successfully navigated the transition from teen idol to a respected character actor by consistently choosing unique and challenging roles that defied audience expectations. His willingness to physically and vocally transform for a part has become his trademark, making each new performance an event.

Over the years, he has formed a particularly fruitful partnership with director Tim Burton, creating a gallery of gothic, whimsical, and misunderstood figures that have defined both of their careers. Whether he is playing a swashbuckling pirate, a gentle man with scissors for hands, or a notorious gangster, Depp brings a unique energy and commitment to his work. His filmography is a testament to an artist who has always marched to the beat of his own drum.

‘Cry-Baby’ (1990)

In this musical romantic comedy, Johnny Depp plays Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker, the charismatic leader of a gang of rockabilly outcasts known as the “Drapes” in 1950s Baltimore. His character is a satire of the classic teen rebel archetype, with a unique ability to shed a single, perfect tear that sends his female admirers into a frenzy.

The story follows Cry-Baby as he falls in love with a girl from the clean-cut, wealthy side of town, known as the “Squares.” Their forbidden romance challenges the rigid social structure of their community and leads to a showdown between the two rival factions. The role is a playful send-up of his teen heartthrob image.

‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ (2005)

Depp offers a unique take on the famous candymaker Willy Wonka, the reclusive owner of a wondrous and magical chocolate factory. His version of the character is a socially awkward and eccentric genius who decides to open the gates of his factory to five lucky children who find golden tickets in his chocolate bars.

This portrayal delves into the character’s past, revealing that his passion for candy stems from a restrictive childhood under his domineering dentist father. He is both a whimsical tour guide and a strange, childlike figure himself, testing the moral character of the children who visit his incredible world.

‘Black Mass’ (2015)

In a dramatic transformation, Depp portrays James “Whitey” Bulger, the feared and violent leader of the Irish-American Winter Hill Gang in South Boston. The film chronicles his ruthless reign over the city’s criminal underworld from the 1970s through the 1990s.

The story centers on Bulger’s secret alliance with the FBI. He agrees to act as an informant to help the authorities take down the Italian Mafia, his gang’s primary rival. This unholy arrangement allows his own criminal empire to grow unchecked, making him one of the most powerful and dangerous gangsters in U.S. history.

‘Public Enemies’ (2009)

Depp plays the charismatic and infamous American bank robber John Dillinger. The film is set during the Great Depression and focuses on the final years of the notorious outlaw’s life. He is depicted as a folk hero to the downtrodden public and a major target for the burgeoning FBI.

The narrative follows the intense manhunt for Dillinger led by top federal agent Melvin Purvis. As the authorities close in, Dillinger tries to navigate his dangerous life of crime while pursuing a romance with a coat-check girl named Billie Frechette. The role captures the confidence and swagger of a man who became a legend in his own time.

‘Benny & Joon’ (1993)

In this quirky romantic comedy, Depp plays Sam, a gentle and eccentric man who expresses himself almost exclusively through physical comedy. His character patterns his life, mannerisms, and style of dress after the silent film stars of the past, particularly Buster Keaton.

Sam enters the lives of a brother, Benny, and his mentally ill sister, Joon, after Benny loses a poker game and has to take him in. Sam and Joon, both outsiders in their own way, form an immediate and deep connection, leading to an unconventional and touching love story.

‘Chocolat’ (2000)

Depp portrays Roux, a mysterious and handsome Irish Traveller who arrives with his community on their riverboats near a small, traditional French village. His presence, along with that of his fellow “river rats,” is met with suspicion and prejudice by the town’s conservative mayor and residents.

Roux finds a kindred spirit in Vianne, a free-thinking woman who has just opened a chocolate shop that is similarly disrupting the town’s rigid customs. He becomes her ally and romantic interest, and together they encourage the villagers to embrace pleasure and tolerance over strict self-denial.

‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’ (2007)

In this musical thriller, Depp takes on the role of Benjamin Barker, a barber who is unjustly sent to prison by a corrupt judge who desires his wife. After 15 years, he escapes and returns to London, adopting the sinister new identity of Sweeney Todd.

Consumed by a desire for revenge, Todd opens a new barbershop above a pie shop run by Mrs. Lovett. He begins a murderous rampage, with his victims being baked into meat pies and sold to the public. His quest for vengeance turns him into a tragic and terrifying figure.

‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ (1984)

In his very first feature film role, Depp plays Glen Lantz, the caring boyfriend of the film’s main character, Nancy Thompson. He is one of the teenagers living on Elm Street who find themselves being stalked in their dreams by the terrifying, blade-fingered villain, Freddy Krueger.

Glen is initially skeptical of Nancy’s claims that their friends are being killed in their sleep. He tries to help her stay awake and confront the supernatural threat, but ultimately falls victim to Freddy himself in one of the horror genre’s most famous and memorable death scenes.

‘Blow’ (2001)

Depp portrays the real-life figure George Jung, a man from a small town who became a pivotal figure in the international cocaine trade. The film follows his entire career, from his early days as a small-time marijuana dealer in California to his rise as the main American importer for the Medellín Cartel.

The story chronicles the highs and lows of his criminal life, showing the immense wealth and excitement as well as the paranoia, betrayal, and personal loss that came with it. It is a portrait of a man who achieved a version of the American Dream, only to see it all crumble around him.

‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’ (1998)

Depp delivers a completely immersive performance as Raoul Duke, a gonzo journalist. The character is sent to Las Vegas to cover a motorcycle race, but the trip quickly descends into a surreal and drug-fueled search for the so-called “American Dream.” He is accompanied by his erratic and unhinged attorney, Dr. Gonzo.

The film is a chaotic and hallucinatory journey through the casinos, hotels, and desert landscapes of Las Vegas. Duke’s character serves as the narrator and guide through a series of bizarre and hilarious encounters, all filtered through his psychedelic perspective on the excess and decay of American culture.

‘Donnie Brasco’ (1997)

Depp stars as Joseph D. Pistone, an FBI agent who goes deep undercover in the 1970s, assuming the identity of a jewel thief named Donnie Brasco. His mission is to infiltrate a powerful New York City crime family by earning the trust of one of its members.

He finds a mentor in an aging, low-level mobster named Lefty Ruggiero, and the two form a genuine and powerful friendship. As Donnie gets deeper into the criminal world, the lines between his real identity and his undercover persona begin to blur, forcing him to confront the immense personal cost of his dangerous assignment.

‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’ (1993)

In a subtle and heartfelt performance, Depp plays Gilbert Grape, a young man working a dead-end grocery store job in a small, unchanging Midwestern town. He feels the immense weight of his family’s problems on his shoulders, acting as the main provider and caregiver.

Gilbert spends his days looking after his younger brother, Arnie, who has a severe intellectual disability, and his morbidly obese mother, who has not left their house in years. He dreams of escaping his life but feels bound by love and duty, a situation that is complicated when a new, free-spirited girl arrives in town.

‘Ed Wood’ (1994)

Depp portrays Ed Wood, the endlessly optimistic and famously untalented film director from the 1950s. The film is an affectionate tribute to the man often called the worst director of all time, celebrating his unwavering passion for making movies despite a lack of resources and critical acclaim.

The story follows Wood as he assembles a loyal but eccentric group of actors and crew members to bring his bizarre visions to life. A central focus of the film is his touching and supportive friendship with the aging horror movie legend Bela Lugosi, whom he casts in his films long after Hollywood had forgotten him.

‘Edward Scissorhands’ (1990)

In his first major collaboration with director Tim Burton, Depp plays Edward, a gentle and innocent artificial man who was created by a loving inventor. His creator passed away before he could be completed, leaving him with large, sharp scissor blades instead of hands.

After years of living in isolation in a gothic castle, Edward is discovered by a kind saleswoman who brings him home to live in her pastel-colored suburban neighborhood. He is initially celebrated for his amazing talent for hedge trimming and hairstyling, but his strange appearance eventually leads to fear and misunderstanding.

‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ (2003)

Depp created one of cinema’s most iconic characters with his performance as Captain Jack Sparrow. He is the perpetually off-balance, morally ambiguous, and endlessly charming pirate captain of the legendary ship, the Black Pearl. His portrayal turned the character into an instant cultural phenomenon.

The film follows Jack’s efforts to reclaim his beloved ship from his mutinous former first mate, Barbossa, and his cursed crew. To do so, he forms an unlikely alliance with a young blacksmith, Will Turner, to rescue the governor’s daughter, Elizabeth Swann, who has been kidnapped by the pirates.

Let us know which Johnny Depp character is your all-time favorite in the comments section.