John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor, producer, and musician. He has been nominated for ten Golden Globe Awards, winning one for Best Actor for his performance of the title role in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), and has been nominated for three Academy Awards for Best Actor, among other accolades. He is regarded as one of the world's biggest film stars. Depp made his film debut in the 1984 film A Nightmare on Elm Street, before rising to prominence as a teen idol on the television series 21 Jump Street (1987–1990). He had a supporting role in Oliver Stone's 1986 war film Platoon and played the title character in the 1990 romantic fantasy Edward Scissorhands.
Depp has gained critical praise for his portrayals of inept screenwriter-director Ed Wood in the film of the same name (1994), undercover FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone in Donnie Brasco (1997), author J. M. Barrie in Finding Neverland (2004) and Boston gangster Whitey Bulger in Black Mass (2015). He has starred in a number of successful films, including Cry-Baby (1990), Dead Man (1995), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005), Public Enemies (2009), Alice in Wonderland (2010) and its 2016 sequel, The Tourist (2010), Rango (2011), Dark Shadows (2012), The Lone Ranger (2013), and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018). Depp also plays Jack Sparrow in the swashbuckler film series Pirates of the Caribbean (2003–present).
Depp is the third highest-grossing actor worldwide, as films featuring Depp have grossed over US$3.7 billion at the United States box office and over US$10 billion worldwide. He has been listed in the 2012 Guinness World Records as the world's highest-paid actor, with earnings of US$75 million. Depp has collaborated on eight films with director, producer, and friend Tim Burton. He was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2015. In addition to acting, Depp has also worked as a musician. He has performed in numerous musical groups, including forming the rock supergroup Hollywood Vampires along with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry.
Depp was born on June 9, 1963, in Owensboro, Kentucky, the youngest of four children of waitress Betty Sue Palmer (née Wells) and civil engineer John Christopher Depp. Depp moved frequently during his childhood. He and his siblings lived in more than 20 different places, eventually settling in Miramar, Florida in 1970. Depp's parents divorced in 1978 when he was 15. His mother married Robert Palmer, whom Depp has called "an inspiration". At the 2016 Grammys Depp played a song in tribute to Palmer, stating, "So the words of the song was this toast by my stepfather, who made his exit about 15 years ago. He was this really cool guy. He was a bit of a rounder. He spent about half his life in prison, in Statesville Ill. And he had this toast. 'Here’s to you, as good as you are. Here’s to me, as bad as I am. You're still as good as you are, as bad as I am.' " With the gift of a guitar from his mother when he was 12, Depp began playing in various bands. A year after his parents' divorce, he dropped out of Miramar High School to become a rock musician; he attempted to go back to school two weeks later, but the principal told him to follow his dream of being a musician. He played with The Kids, a band that enjoyed modest local success, from 1980 to 1984. The Kids set out together for Los Angeles in pursuit of a record deal, changing their name to Six Gun Method, but the group split up before signing a record deal. Depp subsequently collaborated with the band Rock City Angels and co-wrote their song "Mary", which appeared on their debut Geffen Records album Young Man's Blues. On December 20, 1983, Depp married Lori Anne Allison, the sister of his band's bassist and singer. During their marriage, she worked as a makeup artist while he worked a variety of odd jobs, including as a telemarketer for a pen company. His wife introduced him to actor Nicolas Cage, who advised him to pursue an acting career. Depp and Allison divorced in 1985.
Depp is primarily of English descent, with some French, German, and Irish ancestry. He is descended from a French Huguenot immigrant (Pierre Dieppe, who settled in Virginia around 1700) and from colonial freedom fighter Elizabeth Key Grinstead (1630–1665), daughter of an English planter and his African slave. In interviews in 2002 and 2011, Depp claimed to have Native American ancestry, stating, "I guess I have some Native American somewhere down the line. My great-grandmother was quite a bit of Native American, she grew up Cherokee or maybe Creek Indian. Makes sense in terms of coming from Kentucky, which is rife with Cherokee and Creek Indian." Depp's claims came under scrutiny when Indian Country Today stated that Depp had never inquired about his heritage nor was he recognized as a member of the Cherokee Nation. This led to criticism from the Native American community, as Depp has no documented Native ancestry, and Native community leaders refer to him as "a non-Indian". Depp's choice to portray Tonto, a Native American character, in The Lone Ranger was criticized, along with his choice to name his rock band "Tonto's Giant Nuts". During the promotion for The Lone Ranger, on May 22, 2012, Depp was adopted as an honorary son by LaDonna Harris, a member of the Comanche Nation, making him an honorary member of her family but not a member of any tribe. Critical response to his claims from the Native community increased after this, including satirical portrayals of Depp by Native comedians. An ad featuring Depp and Native American imagery, by Dior for the fragrance "Sauvage", was pulled on August 30, 2019 after charges of cultural appropriation and racism
Reference
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Depp