Forbes calculated
Johnny Depp to be Hollywood’s second highest paid actor in 2012, earning
$30million. In the latest in our series on celebrity money, we look at how Depp
made his millions.
he may have played some strange roles but Depp's got his head screwed on when it comes to cash.
Born in 1963, the actor first became a teen idol due to his role on 1980s TV show 21 Jump Street.
He soon moved to the big screen, specialising in quirky oddball characters such as the title characters in Edward Scissorhands and What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
Other box office success added to his coffers, including roles in Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the hugely successful Pirates of the Caribbean series – the first three films grossed more than $2.7billion (£1.65billion).
In 2008 Canada's Tribute magazine reported that Depp was paid $61million (£37.3million) to reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film On Stranger Tides, due for release in May 2011.
At the time the sum was the largest upfront payment in film history. Nice work if you can get it.
However, Depp, the son of a waitress and civil engineer, came from humble beginnings.
His family moved more than 20 times during his childhood before settling in Florida. Family problems led him to self-harm as a child.
His parents divorced when Depp was a teenager and soon after he dropped out of school to become a rock star.
After modest local success with various bands he started to concentrate on his acting career.
Despite being known for shunning publicity, Depp's personal life has hit the headlines on numerous occasions.
He had a short-lived marriage to a makeup artist in the 1980s and went on to date actresses Winona Ryder, Sherilyn Fenn and Jennifer Gray, as well as model Kate Moss.
Between 1993 and 2004 Depp part owned the Viper Room nightclub in Hollywood, made infamous after fellow actor River Phoenix died of a drug overdose in 1993.
In 1998 Depp began dating Vanessa Paradis, 39, the couple where together for 14 years until they amicably split earlier this month.
Paradis and Depp never exchanged vows,yet Depp has decided to hand over half of his fortune to the mother of his two children. This is set to be one of the biggest pay-offs between a non-married couple. Speculations claim that Vanessa will receive more than $150million.
As part of his quest for privacy, in 2004 Depp bought a private island in the Caribbean for $3.6million (£2.2million).
he may have played some strange roles but Depp's got his head screwed on when it comes to cash.
Born in 1963, the actor first became a teen idol due to his role on 1980s TV show 21 Jump Street.
He soon moved to the big screen, specialising in quirky oddball characters such as the title characters in Edward Scissorhands and What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
Other box office success added to his coffers, including roles in Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the hugely successful Pirates of the Caribbean series – the first three films grossed more than $2.7billion (£1.65billion).
In 2008 Canada's Tribute magazine reported that Depp was paid $61million (£37.3million) to reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film On Stranger Tides, due for release in May 2011.
At the time the sum was the largest upfront payment in film history. Nice work if you can get it.
However, Depp, the son of a waitress and civil engineer, came from humble beginnings.
His family moved more than 20 times during his childhood before settling in Florida. Family problems led him to self-harm as a child.
His parents divorced when Depp was a teenager and soon after he dropped out of school to become a rock star.
After modest local success with various bands he started to concentrate on his acting career.
Despite being known for shunning publicity, Depp's personal life has hit the headlines on numerous occasions.
He had a short-lived marriage to a makeup artist in the 1980s and went on to date actresses Winona Ryder, Sherilyn Fenn and Jennifer Gray, as well as model Kate Moss.
Between 1993 and 2004 Depp part owned the Viper Room nightclub in Hollywood, made infamous after fellow actor River Phoenix died of a drug overdose in 1993.
In 1998 Depp began dating Vanessa Paradis, 39, the couple where together for 14 years until they amicably split earlier this month.
Paradis and Depp never exchanged vows,yet Depp has decided to hand over half of his fortune to the mother of his two children. This is set to be one of the biggest pay-offs between a non-married couple. Speculations claim that Vanessa will receive more than $150million.
As part of his quest for privacy, in 2004 Depp bought a private island in the Caribbean for $3.6million (£2.2million).
Little Halls Pond Cay is about 60 miles south of Nassau in the protected Exuma
Land and Sea Park.
Depp has properties in LA, Hawaii and England and earlier this year snapped up the Palazzo Donà Sangiantoffetti Palace in Venice, Italy for a reported $13.8million (£8.4million).
Depp is clearly rich and handsome but it turns out he's also a pretty nice guy too. In 2008 he donated $2million (£1.2million) to Great Ormond Street Hospital after his daughter Lily-Rose, then aged eight, was treated for kidney failure there.
Depp has properties in LA, Hawaii and England and earlier this year snapped up the Palazzo Donà Sangiantoffetti Palace in Venice, Italy for a reported $13.8million (£8.4million).
Depp is clearly rich and handsome but it turns out he's also a pretty nice guy too. In 2008 he donated $2million (£1.2million) to Great Ormond Street Hospital after his daughter Lily-Rose, then aged eight, was treated for kidney failure there.
In 2009, he
played Heath Ledger's character in The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus after Ledger
died following an accidental overdose.
Alongside Jude Law and Colin Farrell, Depp donated his fee for the film to Ledger's daughter Matilda who was left out of her father's original will.
Alongside Jude Law and Colin Farrell, Depp donated his fee for the film to Ledger's daughter Matilda who was left out of her father's original will.
