Johnny Depp Pays Tribute To Wes Craven At TIFF, Signs Autographs Until Carried Away

While taking questions at a Q&A for his role in Black Mass at The Toronto International Film Festival, Johnny Depp shed light on the importance that director Wes Craven had in the talented actor getting his start in Hollywood. Johnny may be one of the most well-known and versatile actors on the scene today, playing roles as varying as Whitey Bulger and Jack Sparrow, yet back in 1984 the novice was looking for his big break. He got it in the form of a role in Craven’s horror film, Nightmare on Elm Street.

Depp shared in regards to his gratitude for the late director, while adding in a bit of Johnny-style humor to the reminiscent story, as Variety notes.

“Wes Craven was the guy who gave me my start, from my perspective, for almost no reason in particular. I read scenes with his daughter when I auditioned for the part. At the time, I was a musician. I wasn’t really acting. It was not anything very near to my brain or my heart, which is pretty much how it remains to this day. But Wes Craven was brave enough to give me the gig based on his daughter’s opinion. I guess she had read with a bunch of actors, and after the casting sessions, she said, ‘No, that’s the guy.’ I always think of her for putting me in this mess, and certainly Wes Craven for being very brave to give me this gig. But he was a good man — so rest in peace, old Wes.”

Depp then went on to chat about the current film he’s making headlines for. As mentioned, the star plays drug kingpin Whitey Bulger in Black Mass, a movie that has already garnered him rave reviews and has critics talking of an Oscar-worthy performance. Depp shared about what it was initially that drew him to the role.

“For me, when we first sort of started taking this thing apart, the idea of approaching it as a genre film or a gangster film or something of that degree was really out of the question. The idea was to approach it as a human story. And no matter who is being good or bad, no one wakes up in the morning and shaves and brushes their teeth and says, ‘I am evil.’ This is a guy that grew up as a Catholic school kid, very much in touch with his Irish heritage and loyalties.”

Depp was as eager to express himself about his role and how he got his big break as he was to sign autographs for fans that attended and waited hours to catch a glimpse of Jack Sparrow, himself. As the Toronto Sun relays, he was nearly mobbed by fans, however, Depp signed as many autographs as he could until he was reportedly carried away by body guards.

You can catch Johnny Depp in Black Mass in theaters on September 18.

[Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images]