Johnny Depp’s Younger Hollywood Years: Photos Of The Star In From His Teens To Now

By:

Christina Casiano

September 6, 2023 3:36PM EDT

Johnny Depp has had quite a long career & you can take a look at him from his young years to now!

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Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp — Johnny Depp has been a Hollywood star from when he was young, to today. With his piercing eyes, sharp jawline, and distinct voice, Johnny had the makings to be the next big leading man.

His debut role came in 1984 when he portrayed Glen Lantz in the first ‘A Nightmare On Elm Street.’ His gruesome death helped establish the long-running horror franchise, and help launch a career that would last decades. His early work included roles in ‘Private Resort,’ Oliver Stone’s ‘Platoon’ and John Waters’ ‘Cry-Baby.’ In 1987, Johnny landed the role of Tom Hanson on ’21 Jump Street,’ a role that would bring him into the mainstream.

However, it only scratched the surface of what was in store. From his roles in ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,’ ‘Ed Wood,’ and ‘Donnie Brasco,’ take a look at how a young Johnny Depp laid the foundation for an on-screen legacy.

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Johnny Depp in ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’

Johnny Depp in ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ — Johnny Depp in 1984’s ‘A Nightmare On Elm Street.’ He was 21 at the time of filming. His death is one of the most iconic kills in the franchise’s history.

‘Wes Craven was the guy who gave me my start, from my perspective, for almost no reason in particular,’ he said during a 2015 Q&A, a month after Wes’s death, per Variety. ‘I read scenes with his daughter when I auditioned for the part. At the time, I was a musician. I wasn’t really acting … But Wes Craven was brave enough to give me the gig based on his daughter’s opinion. … I always think of her for putting me in this mess, and certainly Wes Craven for being very brave to give me this gig.’

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Johnny Depp in ‘Private Resort’

Johnny Depp in ‘Private Resort’ — Following ‘A Nightmare On Elm Street,’ Johnny landed a role in ‘Private Resort,’ his first starring role. It is, according to IMDB, the story of ‘two adolescent boys who are guests at a Florida resort for the weekend. Their only interest is, of course, chasing girls, but fate has much more in store for them.’ It also starred Andrew ‘Dice’ Clay, Rob Morrow, and Emily Longstreth, seen here.

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Johnny Depp in ’21 Jump Street’

Johnny Depp in ’21 Jump Street’ — In 1987, a wider audience was introduced to Johnny thanks to ’21 Jump Street,’ a cop drama on FOX. The premise is that a group of youthful police officers can pass for teenagers, allowing them to infiltrated high schools and other situations. The show debuted in August 1987, when Johnny was 24.

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Johnny Depp & Winona Ryder hold hands

Johnny Depp & Winona Ryder hold hands — In 1990, Johnny began a relationship that would last for the bulk of his career: he connected with director Tim Burton for the movie ‘Edward Scissorhands.’ The film, released when Johnny was 27, saw him work opposite his then-girlfriend, Winona Ryder, seen here with him at the premiere (he proposed after five months of dating, but they split in 1993). Since ‘Scissorhands,’ Johnny has worked with Burton on seemingly an endless number of films.

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Johnny Depp in ‘Edward Scissorhands’

Johnny Depp in ‘Edward Scissorhands’ — Since ‘Edward Scissorhands,’ Johnny and Tim Burton have worked together on eight more films: 1994’s ‘Ed Wood,’ 1999’s ‘Sleepy Hollow,’ 2005’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and ‘Corpse Bride,’ 2007’s ‘Sweeny Todd,’ 2010’s ‘Alice In Wonderland’ (and its 2016 sequel, ‘Alice Through The Looking Glass’), and 2012’s ‘Dark Shadows.’

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Johnny Depp in ‘Cry Baby’

Johnny Depp in ‘Cry Baby’ — ‘Cry-Baby’ saw Johnny team with celebrated cult filmmaker John Watters (which came on the heels of Waters’ ‘Hairspray.’) Set in the 1950s, a 27-year-old Johnny played the title character in a cast that featured Traci Lords, Ricki Lake, Susan Tyrrell, Amy Locane, and Iggy Pop.

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Johnny Depp in ‘Benny & Joon’

Johnny Depp in ‘Benny & Joon’ — ‘Edward Scissorhands’ earned Johnny his first Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Musical of Comedy. His second came for 1993’s ‘Benny & Joon,’ an sleeper hit that saw Johnny mimic the physical comedy of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. It helped Johnny, who was turning 30 that year, put his teen heartthrob days behind him.

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Johnny Depp in ‘Ed Wood’

Johnny Depp in ‘Ed Wood’ — 1994’s ‘Ed Wood’ reunited Johnny and Tim Burton for a biographical comedy-drama about the director behind films like ‘Plan 9 From Outer Space,’ ‘Glen Or Glenda,’ and ‘Bride of the Monster.’ Though it was a box-office flop, it was met with critical acclaim, as a 33-year-old Johnny showed his talent for acting in the film.

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Johnny Depp In 1993

Johnny Depp In 1993 — Johnny Depp, seen here sporting his hair from ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’ while at Planet Hollywood in London, Britain, portrayed the title character in the 1993 movie that also featured Darlene Crates, Juliette Lewis, and a 19-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio. It was a well-received movie, bolstered by the soundtrack that featured The Lemonheads’ ‘It’s A Shame About Ray.’

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Johnny Depp in ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’

Johnny Depp in ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’ — Johnny Depp in 1993. Directed by Lasse Hallström, who also did ‘The Cider House Rules’ and ‘A Dog’s Purpose’, ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’ is a more muted, serious turn for Johnny, compared to his action and horror past.

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Johnny Depp in ‘Don Juan DeMarco’

Johnny Depp in ‘Don Juan DeMarco’ — Though Johnny’s early ‘90s work wouldn’t be considered blockbusters, he experienced a bit of a commercial lull towards the end of the decades. ‘Don Juan DeMarco,’ a 1994 movie that was produced by Francis For Coppola and featured Marlon Brandon and Faye Dunaway, received generally favorable reviews and a successful box office. Johnny plays a character who thinks he’s Don Juan, the world’s greatest lover.

Around this time, he appeared in Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Dead Man,’ and Nick Of Time, an action thriller that also featured Christopher Walken.

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Johnny Depp Performs In 1997

Johnny Depp Performs In 1997 — Johnny Depp has never shied away from his love of performing music. In 2021, he is part of the Hollywood Vampires, a band featuring Alice Cooper and Joe Perry of Aerosmith. Here, a 34-year-old Johnny plays to a crowd in Vienna, Austria in 1997.

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Johnny Depp in ‘Donnie Brasco’

Johnny Depp in ‘Donnie Brasco’ — 1997 also saw Johnny Depp appear in ‘Donnie Brasco.’ The film, which also includes Al Pacino and Anne Heche, is considered one of Johnny’s best performances. It was also a box office smash

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Johnny Depp In 1997

Johnny Depp In 1997 — Johnny Depp, seen here in Cannes in 1997, has Iggy Pop to his left and Kate Moss to his right. Johnny dated Kate moss from 1994 to 1998. She was 23 at the time and he was 34.

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Johnny Depp in ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’

Johnny Depp in ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’ — Following his turn as Ed Wood, Johnny Depp portrayed another counter-culture icon in 1998’s ‘Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas.’ Johnny was cast in the role of Hunter S. Thompson, aka Raoul Duke, while Benico Del Toro played Oscar Zeta Acosta, aka Dr. Gonzo. Directed by Terry Gilliam, it was a bizarre film that divided critics and failed to find an audience at the box office (but has since become a cult classic.)

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Johnny Depp in ‘Sleepy Hollow’

Johnny Depp in ‘Sleepy Hollow’ — 1999 saw Johnny reunite with Tim Burton for ‘Sleepy Hollow.’ It was a commercial and critical success (and was Johnny’s third film that year, as he also appeared in ‘The Astronaut’s Wife’ and ‘The Ninth Gate.’)

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Johnny Depp in ‘The Ninth Gate’

Johnny Depp in ‘The Ninth Gate’ — Johnny Depp, seen here at age 36, in 1999’s ‘The Ninth Gate.’ Controversial in that it was directed and produced by Roman Polanski, the mystery thriller film was met with middling reviews and a lukewarm box office.

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Johnny Depp in ‘Blow’

Johnny Depp in ‘Blow’ — Johnny Depp began the new century with ‘Blow,’ a biopic based around the life of cocaine smuggler George Jung. It was a moderate commercial success and saw 38-year-old Johnny act opposite Penelope Cruz, Ray Liotta, and Paul Reubens.

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Johnny Depp in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’

Johnny Depp in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ — Johnny Depp’s career changed in 2003. Not only did he enter his 40s, but he first portrayed a character that would turn him into a global box office sensation: Captain Jack Sparrow, seen here in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl.’ The series would spawn four sequels, with a rumored sixth film on the way.

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Johnny Depp in ‘Once Upon a Time in Mexico’

Johnny Depp in ‘Once Upon a Time in Mexico’ — The same year that the first ‘Pirates’ movie came out, Johnny teamed with director Robert Rodriguez for ‘Once Upon A Time In Mexico,’ a film featuring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek. It was the final installment in the Mariachi/Desperado trilogy, and cemented the kind of movies that would dominate Johnny’s career for his 40s and 50s.

There would be a few oddballs (‘Tusk,’ ‘Mortidecai’) and serious features (‘Black Mass,’ ‘Finding Neverland’) but Johnny Depp was a different man, one who had grown from his fresh-faced days on ’21 Jump Street’ and ‘Elm Street.’

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Johnny Depp At The Premiere Of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’

Johnny Depp At The Premiere Of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’ — Johnny Depp would return to his role of Jack Sparrow four more times. Here, looks rocker chic at the premiere of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’ at Disneyland on May 19, 2017. Looking very bohemian, he wore baggy jeans, a vest, a scarf, and plenty of beads.

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Johnny Depp In 2010

Johnny Depp In 2010 — Johnny Depp bundles up a fan event celebrating ‘Alice In Wonderland’ on Feb. 19, 2010. He looked vagabond-chic in a hat, plenty of scarves, and layers of jackets and cardigans.

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Johnny Depp At The Premiere Of ‘Mortdecai’

Johnny Depp At The Premiere Of ‘Mortdecai’ — Johnny Depp dons a pinstriped suit to the premiere of ‘Mortdecai’ on Jan. 19, 2015. He wore blue-tinted glasses and his hair was long.

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Johnny Depp Vs. Amber Heard Trial

Johnny Depp Vs. Amber Heard Trial — Johnny Depp gestures to fans during a recess in his civil trial with Amber Heard, at the Fairfax County Courthouse, in Fairfax, Virginia on May 27, 2022. Johnny won a $15million settlement in the defamation case, with his ex wife.

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Johnny Depp looking handsome

Johnny Depp looking handsome — Johnny Depp at the ‘Jeanne du Barry’ premiere and opening ceremony. It was at the 76th Cannes Film Festival in May 2023.

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Johnny Depp performing in concert

Johnny Depp performing in concert — Johnny Depp performed with his band, Hollywood Vampires at OVO Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland on July 12, 2023.

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