A little late to be notifying readers in the Eastern and Central time zones (he’s into the second segment right now) but maybe soon enough to remind west coast viewers who want to catch it.
[UPDATE: More after the cut]
A longer piece of the interview has been youtubed now:
38 Responses for "Johnny Depp on Letterman tonight"
I knew my obsessive refreshing of AwardsDaily would pay off
Just in time for Megan Fox, Alfredo!
He is as fake as his accent! Nobody I know from “Miramar, Florida” talks like that.
Omar,
he has lived in France for a considerably long period of time and his encounter with other European expatriates in that region might have influenced his English. Also, when you speak another language often (in his case French), your accent tends to change when you speak in your first language. I don’t think he’s being pretentious; it’s very natural considering his circumstances.
p.s
I have no defense for Madonna’s fake British accent so please don’t cite her in a counter argument
OH MY GOD, marion cotillard can be a triple nominee for this year’s golden globes with 3 strong movies this year.
Best actress in a DRAMA for The last flight of Lancaster
Best actress in Musical for Nine
Best supporting actress for Public Enemies
Johnny Depp was born in Owensboro, KY. My home town, Omar. His family lived just a few houses down the street from where I grew up, though they had already moved to Florida long before I was born.
Of course, Depps’s accent doesn’t sound like anybody from Owensboro either — but neither does mine. Like anyone who moves around a lot, we all pick up different tones and shades to our accents from the various places we live. When I came back home after living outside the US for a few years, local residents were always asking me where I’m from. So now, in my own home town, I sound like a foreigner.
As Afrika smartly points out, no doubt Depp has picked up all sorts of interesting facets of his accents from living and working all over the world for so many years — and I’d also say that part of the reason he’s such a versatile actor is because he’s not stuck with an typical easily-identifiable accent from living in the same town all his life.
I he sounds just fine nothing wrong with his accent.
I saw a press screening of Public Enemies tonight. It is incredible. I hope the reviews are very strong for Mann’s latest.
Do you think Cotillard’s role is strong enough for a possible Best Supporting Actress nom, Jack?
I’m sure the film will be strong in all the craft and tech categories. Just curious about the acting.
Cotillard is very good, and there are a few scenes in particular that make her so much more than “the lover.” I think she has a solid chance of landing a Best Supporting Actress nom if the Academy goes for the film.
Depp is great, too, and I also loved Stephen Graham as Baby Face Nelson. Still, the star of the show is Michael Mann. Here’s hoping his directing doesn’t go unnoticed.
I’d say that cinematography and costume design nominations are very likely.
Thanks Jack. Best news we’ve had all day, a very sad day.
I actually saw it for free. It’s a good movie. I wouldn’t say awesome. It’s entertaining, and Marion Cotillard is the best. She shines in every scene she is in and steals it. Stephen Graham is also good. Johnny… I would have to say is decent. He doesn’t do anything extordinary that makes you say to yourself ” that’s great ! ” He performs the character in a solid manner. It’s not knock you over the head great. Can’t wait till people see him be trippier as the Mad Hatter. He’ll stretch his thesp skills for that one.
I was impressed by the editing, cinematography and art direction.
As for someone who has paid close attention to the Oscar for almost 20 years, I just can’t say for sure if it stands a chance at many nods. It really has popcorn movie all over it. But it’s a nice summer crime drama nonetheless.
Johhny Depp has as much personality and charisma as an old shoe – I watched him on The Actor’s Studio and I had to turn it off as he is so boring.
Just as well he can act and I do enjoy some of his movies but not all – maybe he should watch the dailies so he can see how bad some of them are eg – the 2nd and 3rd Pirate movies, From Hell etc.
Shows how observant I am he just sounds American to me. Nothing pretentious at all.
I thought he was pretty funny, actually. I think he got a kick out of Letterman’s interview as opposed to being annoyed.
As for the accent, I lived all over, including overseas–military brat. I’ve noticed that some people are more inclined to picking up accents in their environs than others. I suspect that over the years, Depp has “cleaned out” the Kentucky from his accent due to acting and diction lessons, influences, etc.
I’ve had a voice coach myself and can tell you that people who have known you before are sometimes stunned by the change. That doesn’t mean that he isn’t somewhat affected in his speech. I can only image how a U.S. citizen would fair amongst the French–even if he is Johnny Depp!
this was a great clip. One of the things I like about Johnny Depp is his lack of charisma. He doesn’t seem to force anything and he is always the same on public appearances, fairly shy and genuine. I agree with Features1, he did seem to enjoy the interview – he seemed pleasantly surprised by some of Letterman’s remarks.
I’m so glad early reviews of Public Enemies are good. It’d started to feel a bit overhyped.
HaroldsMaude echoes my thoughts perfectly. Depp is so perfectly mellow in the media. He doesn’t “turn it on” like Robin Williams, Tom Cruise, etc. He sits there, lets you ask the questions, and answers them with subtle charm and wit.
I thought the interview was really genuine and relaxed too, HaroldsMaude. Letterman isn’t in awe of many actors’ lives, but I see the same level of admiration here that Dave used to express with Paul Newman.
Absolutely. The “southern charm” and “cowboy” remarks get old among an international gang of friends. You soon learn to smooth out the more obvious regional distinctions from your accent because it’s just distracting. Not always easy, but some people are better mimics than others, and we’d naturally expect Depp to be adept at sounding exactly how he wants to sound.
I hope Johnny Depp makes a stop on the circuit to talk with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. He’d be fun on The View too, I’ll bet.
yeah, I almost mentioned Tom Cruise as a contrast, but the difference is so stark, I didn’t want to feel like I was bashing Cruise unprovoked. But now that we’ve opened that can of worms… ha! Another surprisingly horrible interview subject is Nicole Kidman, who always comes across like she fears there might me snipers with rifles planted in the audience. Her reaction to the most innocent question is a constantly knotted-up suspicion. While every question posed to Cruise is the funniest thing he ever heard in his life.
“I didn’t want to feel like I was bashing Cruise unprovoked”
Oh Ryan, just watch one of those insane Scientology-videos he did – and you´ll feel perfectly provoked to bash him…
And to Johnny Depp: I don´t care about his accent (you may not believe it, but my english is much worse-REALLY), but common, he is such a cool guy. I´m hetero, but if I would ever be in a situation to have sex with a man, it would be with Johnny!
crap. The second clip has been removed.
Here’s another one, HaroldsMaude, but the quality is cruddier.
The real story on late night TV was Bruno on Conan. I don’t know if I have ever laughed that hard. Ever.
he needs a personality.
Johnny Depp is such a sexy man and what a fantastic artist he is as well. I watched Conan last night, I did not know Johnny was on Letterman. What a mistake, Bruno was on Conan it was awful.
Did anyone see Megan Fox on ‘Regis & Kelly’ this morning? Let’s just say, she is not the brightest star in the sky by a long shot…..
I quite like Depp as an actor (apart from the Tim Burton movies) and as a person cos he seems like a decent guy, and obviously the audience got a kick out of it. But as a member of the movie going public this type of stuff annoys me a bit. I think that its disrespectful to his director and his co-stars to make fun of the fact that he doesnt bother watching a film to see how their parts have come off, or how the plot has come together. Its especially grating that he’s out there promoting a film on the talk show circuit that he’s wilfully telling people how he has not seen or has no interest in seeing. Why should we pay to see a film when he doesnt even bother watching it himself? How can he tell us that its good if he hasnt seen it himself?
“How can he tell us that its good if he hasnt seen it himself?”
I didn’t hear him tell us that it’s good. Letterman did. What I like about Depp’s talk show appearances is that he’s content to sit and chat without pimping something. He’s not there to sell himself. He’s there to remind us how cool he is.
[the longer clip of the interview is functioning again.]
If a media recluse like Johnny Depp is doing the talk-show circuit, its because his studio or his director (being the people who paid him his money, or the people who make him look good) have asked a favour and are relying on his star power to help sell the film to the public. Saying with pride that he hasnt seen the film, doesnt want to watch the film, doesnt really care about the film once he’s shot his scenes is fairly disrespectful to me. Also, Depp came across as fairly nervous and awkward rather than cool to me. And generally, I DO think that Depp is quite cool.
“…asked a favour and are relying on his star power to help sell the film to the public.”
And that’s exactly what he’s doing. Just by giving up his privacy and showing up. The crowd goes wild just to see him in public. That’s the mystique he’s managed to acquire, and it’s a rare and valuable commodity. Much cooler than any playbook huckstering. He doesn’t have to do a song and dance.
“Saying with pride that he hasnt seen the film”
Your impression is different from mine. To me, he didn’t seem like he was proud about it. Just stating a fact, and refusing to be cajoled into saying more.
saying he… “doesnt really care about the film once he’s shot his scenes”
But he never say that. He said what happens with a movie after he’s done his job is none of his business.
hey, I don’t understand it either. If I was Johnny Depp I’d be looking at myself on screen or in a mirror 24 hours a day. You’d have to drag me away from the screening room. But he’s not like that, and his reasons are none of my business.
You already got it right, Mik. He was asked a favour, and he’s out there delivering the goods. His job was done when the movie wrapped. He’d probably rather be back home on his island, but he’s willing to let publicists drag him around for a few days.
I see Depp as sweet, funny, soft-spoken, humble. You see that as nervous or awkward, but it doesn’t seem that way to me at all.
So, we disagree. That’s fine. He annoys you. He charms me. I’m just suggesting another point of view. Not trying to change your mind.
He doesnt annoy me. Usually I like Depp. Admittedly not as much as you appear to like him, but I just think that there are certain minimum standards to film promotion (mention your co-stars, mention your director, actually talk about the film) and it irks me that Depp considers himself above that.
His mannerisms and his coolness/awkwardness, we shall agree to disagree.
“and it irks me that Depp considers himself above that. ”
Well you should have stuck it to Travolta for skipping out on the PELHAM press tour. With your logic, 6 months was enough for him to get over his dead kid.
Sheesh.
“Well you should have stuck it to Travolta…”
…and Eastwood.
I clearly have to start hanging out with Kezza’s old shoes. XD
Watching Johnny on Letterman last night was so soothing after the worst day ever.
If they still tape the show around 5-ish then he and Dave couldn’t have known that Michael Jackson had passed away and I found it a bit weird that they both brought up things connecting them to him. Liz Taylor, Marlon Brando, Vincent Price, and Indiana. I’ve often wondered how Johnny and Michael never seemed to be friends when they were so close to the same two people. I still wonder about that.
But he looked beautiful too. The way his face is aging is making him look even better. The lines are cool and the extra meat in his face made his cheeks so apple-y.
I really needed that.
p.s. oh and the thing about not watching your own movies. It annoys me more when people say they don’t watch other people’s movies which he did kinda say but Christian Bale has said that he just doesn’t watch any because he wants to do his own thing. Maybe that helps their creativity.
Mickey Rourke AND Marisa Tomei stated several times they hadn’t seen “The Wrestler” and had no desire to see it either. I guess their work in that is pretty worthless, huh?
Fairly common for actors and directors to avoid watching their own films. A quick google came up with these names: Woody Allen, Taylor Hackford, Kate Winslet, Kevin Bacon, Audrey Hepburn, Judi Dench, even Kubrick, I think.
Of course, I know “never watch” is not the same as “has never seen” — but a lot of actors are self-conscious and maybe too self-critical.
Angelina Jolie: “The 34-year-old mum of six, who is dating Hollywood hunk Brad Pitt, says that she still has not seen some of her biggest hits because she feels uncomfortable watching her performances.”
Mik
I’m with you on this one. I sense some faux European elitism in his tone, aura and overall presentation. He comes off as too pretentious and as Letterman said, it clearly stems from insecurity. I personally don’t like to watch myself on videos so I can understand where he’s coming from. But who comes on National Television and says stuff like “once my job is done with the movie it’s really none of my business?” really? it’s none of your business? it just irks me when some actors try to pull of this reluctant-celebrity charm. He might have worked in the past Johnny but when you now look like Mickey Rourke Jr., I doubt anyone gives a shit. It’s all about your choice of words. At least let your phrases have a tint of humility. Don’t just brush the entire process and say it’s none of my business. You are busy making millions and buying islands thanks to projects which are none of your business. SMH.
“The 34-year-old mum of six, who is dating Hollywood hunk Brad Pitt, says that she still has not seen some of her biggest hits because she feels uncomfortable watching her performances.”
Ryan – Like when she went topless?
That’ll be awkward to explain later. Especially for a junker like TAKING LIVES.
I think that a few people were getting me wrong here. Particularly with the pathetic reference to Travolta still grieving for his dead child.
I dont think that there is anything wrong in particular with not watching your performances or being a bit shy of seeing yourself on film. I DO think that there is something wrong with going onto the publicity circuit as a way of promoting the film and not saying anything about your co-stars or your directors and laughing about the fact that you havent seen the film and declaring your role in the film-making process over once you have filmed your part.
These are two distinctly different things. Nobody ever said that Depp’s work was ‘worthless’ because of what he has said either. Dont plant words in my mouth. I find it to be a disrespectful way or promoting his film. I dont think that his role or his work in the film is worthless and I never said such.
Who designed the shirt Johnny was wearing on Letterman on Thursday, June 25
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