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A Kentucky-born, Florida-bred, teen-aged Johnny Depp and his band,
The Flame, were popular in local nightclubs. And after renaming themselves The Kids, they toured with and opened for Iggy
Pop. Sparse gigs and odd jobs in Los Angeles led to acting Depp's now ex-wife Lori Anne Allison (1983-85), a makeup artist,
introduced her husband to actor Nicholas Cage, who, in turn, shared his agent.
It wasn't long before Depp landed his
first major acting job in Nightmare on Elm Street. He went on to earn roles in several other films including Slow Burn and
the Academy Award-winning Platoon. Depp then won the role that would prove to be his breakthrough, as undercover detective
Tom Hanson on the popular Fox television show 21 Jump Street. He starred on the series for four seasons before segueing to
the big screen in the lead role of John Waters' affectionate homage to the 1950's, Cry Baby.
After starring as Hunter
S. Thompson's alter ego in Terry Gilliam's trippy adaptation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), Depp tried his hand
at sci-fi horror with The Astronaut's Wife in 1999. The same year, he again collaborated with Burton on Sleepy Hollow, starring
as Ichabod Crane in the remake of Washington Irving's classic tale. Appearing the following year in the romantic drama Chocolat,
Depp jumped back into the big time with his role as real-life cocaine kingpin George Jung in Blow, before gearing up for roles
in the thriller From Hell & Once Upon a Time in Mexico. He's set to play Willy Wonka in Tim Burton's remake of Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory due for release in June 2005.
He has had romantic involvements with several female celebrities
including Winona Ryder, Sherilyn Fenn, Jennifer Grey and Kate Moss. In 1999 he fathered a daughter, Lily -Rose Melody with
French singer/actress Vanessa Paradis. And in 2002 he had a son, Jack, also with Vanessa. They have been dating since June
1998, and they are currently living together in France.
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