What Exactly Makes Johnny Depp so Annoyingly Likeable?
What Exactly Makes Johnny Depp so Annoyingly Likeable?

Hint: It isn’t Captain Jack. Well, not exactly

Image/Delphini/Freepix

I first wrote about Depp in late 2019. He was settling in for a gruelling courtroom battle with his ex, Amber Heard. If you don’t know why, here’s the full story.

Like most people my age, 52, thanks for asking, I grew up alongside Johnny Depp. Our generation watched an awkward, yet gifted teenager blossom into a versatile and talented actor. For nearly forty years, Depp has thrilled, engrossed and entertained us and he’s far from done.

The 1980’s television series, 21 Jump Street, made him a household name and broke girls hearts across the planet. By the time the morally questionable but lovable pirate, Jack Sparrow, sailed into view on the Black Pearl, Johnny Depp had become a Hollywood icon. His appeal is global and doesn’t rely on language or culture. If you think I’m wrong simply follow some of the threads on Twitter.

I spend quite a bit of time on the platform, sampling the general mood of the populace at large and looking for material for articles. I’ve noticed something interesting about Johnny Depp over the last few months. Not the man, as much as his followers or fans, who in many ways, are a direct reflection of the man.

We attract people to us by the energy we give off. Usually, these people are like-minded. The obese blonde buffoon currently occupying the White House is an excellent example.

Depp’s fans, however, take the whole concept of fandom to another level. Nothing puts them off their stride. Not Amber Heard and most certainly not our annoying little neighbourhood virus. In the midst of the pandemic, news about Depp’s new Instagram account was all over Twitter. Not even a global pandemic can dampen their enthusiasm or loyalty.

They’re not quick to forgive and still pile accusations and condemnation on Heard at every opportunity. Although she has proven herself completely deserving of the attention, she must rue the fact she picked ‘his’ finger to chop off. Of all the available digits she could have chosen, this one, with hindsight, wasn’t the best choice.

Depp himself says very little publicly. He rarely speaks out about his private life and when he does his loyal fans are there to latch onto every word. There is real and genuine love, a little bit of fanaticism and ample amounts of fawning involved if you’re a Club Depp member.

Anyone who voices criticism of Depp does it at the risk of stirring up the tribe.

The question is, why? What exactly is it about Johnny Depp that inspires such love and unwavering loyalty? Yes, there’s the undeniable talent, the good looks and the charm, but there’s clearly something else.

I’ve loved watching Depp on screen over the years. There is a genuine gentleness and sincerity that seeps through his many characters, no matter their failings or idiosyncrasies. You know, somewhere deep down inside, that you’d get on with this man, you’d enjoy his company and value his friendship.

The fact that he’s easy on the eye is also a key part of the package, as the content of many a tweet will attest to. The crucial difference though, between Johnny Depp and his Hollywood cohort, seems to come down to one thing.

Humility.

Everywhere you go, stories abound of the man’s humanity. He is humble to a fault, unassuming and not filled with the self-aggrandising arrogance and pretentiousness that permeates so much of Hollywood. Depp is the real deal.

Screenshot/Twitter

He has remained intensely private, the unfortunate incident with Heard perhaps the only break from this pattern. He still enjoys the loyalty, friendship and support of his ex-partner, Vanessa Paradis and is widely acknowledged to be an attentive, loving and caring father.

Both Paradis and Depp’s daughter chose to speak out early against the claims of abuse levelled at the actor by Amber Heard. In 2016, Paradis had this to say about her partner of 14 years.

Johnny Depp is the father of my two children, he is a sensitive, loving and loved person, and I believe with all my heart that these recent allegations being made are outrageous.

The traits Depp displays are clearly not assumed, but a reflection of the caring, loving and humble man that lies behind the many faces he wears so comfortably on screen. Is he flawed? Of course he is, but it’s this part of him that he wears so obviously on his sleeve that endears him even more to his fans.

I am, he quietly tells us through his demeanour, just like you. This humility, coupled with abundant talent, have perhaps been his greatest assets and will continue to serve him well as he emerges from a truly dark place in his life.

He is by no means alone.

All across the world, hundreds of thousands of passionately loyal and loving fans have stood beside him, keeping the candle lit. The fact that their faith in him has been vindicated only serves to strengthen their resolve.

They will undoubtedly be instrumental in ensuring that Depp once again enjoys the full glare of fame’s spotlight. It will be a well deserved and much-anticipated return. We’ll keep our eyes firmly focused on the horizon in the hopes of seeing the Pearl’s black sails again with Depp at the helm. You know what they say.

You just can’t keep a good ship down.
['Robert Turner']
['Television', 'Celebrity', 'Johnny Depp', 'Cinema', 'Entertainment']