Blonde Johnny Depp Honors Christopher Lee In London
A towheaded Johnny Depp was out and about in London this week, to honor British star Christopher Lee.
Johnny Depp and Christopher Lee have collaborated on five films in total together — through, of course, the connecting piece of eternal Depp fanboy Tim Burton.
Depp worked with Lee on Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Dark Shadows, Corpse Bride and Alice in Wonderland. The actor, 50, said that Lee, 91, was a “national treasure” and “artist” as the star was honored.
With a freshly frosted new look, Depp told the crowd that acting alongside Lee “was certainly a childhood dream come true,” before adding, “I love you.”
During the London Film Festival event, Lee complimented Depp in return — saying that of the actors of today’s films, Depp stands out as one “who is truly a star.”
As Depp spoke about Lee, he explained in greater depth about his admiration for the actor — saying:
“It is my great honor to bestow this award to a very great man. He’s inspired me like he has so many, he’s fascinated me like he has so many. He’s been a wonderful individual and over the years I’ve had the pleasure of working with him and it has been a childhood dream come true.”
In response, a teary Lee was moved by Johnny Depp’s words, and said:
“Johnny, I don’t know what to say… I didn’t know you were going to be here. I must try and pull myself together.”
It was Depp who told Lee he’d be unable to make the ceremony at the London Film Festival — but the newly blonde actor later snuck in and mischievously planned to surprise his friend and colleague.
Lee later recalled:
“Somebody told me Johnny wouldn’t be able to come tonight as he was somewhere else in Europe… He means an enormous amount to me. He is one of very few young actors on screen today who’s truly a star… Everything he does has a meaning. He’s a joy to work with, an actor’s dream and certainly a director’s dream. I could go on a long time but I’d probably embarrass him.”
In addition, Lee remembered nearly seven decades in film, and said of the journey:
“When I take a look back, and its a long one, 67 years, at the characters I’ve played I get a truly strange feeling they were all played by somebody else, and not by me… And there are a few occasions when it has been the case I wish it had.”
While Lee has been active in recent years, Johnny Depp has hinted retirement may loom after a career of often critically acclaimed work over the past three decades.
