10 Things You Didn't Know About Johnny Depp

Yes, he's incredibly handsome, but there is a lot to this chameleon than one might think.



Johnny Depp has been in the public eye for 27 years now, thanks to his outstanding acting ability and his handsome, chiseled features. While Depp is absolutely a household name - one of my all time favorite actors - he never basks in celebrity-ville the way some actors do - he usually (so coolly and with grace) shy's away from the spotlight whenever possible. The average person may be able to name a dozen movies he's in, but not tell you two things about his personal life. Which is one of the many reasons he's so interesting.

I've come up with 10 fun facts about the talented actor that you may not know. The treasure that is Johnny Depp just got a whole lot brighter.



1. Today is Johnny Depp’s birthday
John Christopher Depp II was born 48 years ago, June 9th, in Owensboro, Kentucky, but was raised in Florida.


2. Has a deep love for music
Depp's first love is music and still plays the guitar regularly. In 1997, he recorded with Oasis, playing lead slide guitar on the songs 'Fade In-Out' and 'Fade Away.' But the fun doesn’t stop there. He’s also appeared in a number of music videos for various artists as well, including Johnny Cash's video for "God's Gonna Cut You Down," Tom Petty and the Heartbreaker's video for "Into the Great Wide Open," and The Lemonheads' video for "It's A Shame About Ray." He's said about music, "There's nothing - you know - nothing else like music. Nothing that touches us on that, uh, that deep level. Music can open up so many emotions that we didn't know we had."


3. He makes his own wine
Depp and his long time girlfriend, model Vanessa Paradis, live on a vineyard in Plan-de-la-Tour north of Saint-Tropez. Depp began making his own as a hobby and in 2008, while shooting Public Enemies in Illinois, he had ten crates of his wine shipped over for he and the crew to enjoy.


4. He is the godfather to Billy Ray Burton
After doing over half-a-dozen movies with Tim Burton, it's obvious Depp and the director are pals. To honor his favorite lead actor, Burton and his baby-mama Helena Bonham Carter asked Depp to be the godfather to their first child.


5. He adopted a one-eyed horse
Goldeneye is the horse that played Ichabod Crane's horse in Sleepy Hollow. After bonding with Goldeneye, Depp jumped in to adopt him after he heard the one-eyed horse was going to be put down.


6. He was allergic to chocolate
Yep, as a child, Johnny couldn't eat the stuff. Fun fact. He also stays away from clowns, spiders and ghosts: three of his biggest fears. Can you really blame him though?...



7. He speaks French
He learned how to speak French just so he could converse with his love, Vanessa Paradis' parents. C'est romantique! He's said of Vanessa, "I pretty much fell in love with Vanessa the moment I set eyes on her. As a person, I was pretty much a lost cause at that time in my life. She turned all that around for me with her incredible tenderness and understanding."


8. He directs his girlfriend, Vanessa Paradis' music videos
Since 2001, Johnny Depp has been supporting Vanessa's music career by directing her music videos. The French model-turned-singer-turned-actress had her love bring three of her songs to life, including "Pourtant," "Que fait la vie?" and "La Incendie."


9. He has a big heart
Johnny donated the money he earned for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus to the baby daughter of his late co-star, Heath Ledger. After hearing this idea, Johnny's co-stars, Jude Law and Colin Farrell, followed suit. He also has a patch of water on his private island in the Bahamas that he named "Heath's Place" in honor of his friend.


10. His kids are his world
Johnny is not shy to say that the birth of his daughter and son "gave [him] life." He has a tattoo on his arm for his son, Jack, and he's said of daughter, Lilly-Rose, "I see this amazing, beautiful, pure angel-thing wake up in the morning, and nothing can touch that. She is the only reason to wake up in the morning, the only reason to take a breath. Everything else is checkers."

One would think with such magical, memorable roles such as his that he would have an Academy Award by now. He's been nominated three times for best actor (Sweeney Todd, Finding Neverland, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl), but has yet to go home with Oscar. His day will come, I have no doubt.

Depp certainly has a knack for playing strange and lovable characters. He always gives his all to his performances, which is why he is one of the most beloved actors in the business.

Happy Birthday, Johnny!

What are your favorite Johnny Depp movies?