How is Johnny Depp still so successful?

In 2019, at the 76th Venice International Film Festival, Ciro Guerra’s Waiting for the Barbarians premiered. A work of little significance in itself, except for one detail: its cast. The main stars of the film are Robert Pattinson, Mark Rylance, and Johnny Depp, and it is the latter who everyone is eager to see walk the red carpet at the international festival. People began gathering the night before, and the strip of land between the pedestrian road and the red carpet quickly filled up, with fans camping out all night just to get an autograph, a photo, a handshake, or even just to catch a glimpse of the star. While Pattinson, more so than Rylance, has a dedicated fanbase following him from Twilight to his arthouse films, it is Depp who stirs the crowd among the trio in Waiting for the Barbarians. And the same could be said today, despite the strange turn his career has taken. This scenario repeated itself in 2024 at the Rome Film Fest, where the actor and filmmaker premiered his second directorial film, Modì - Three Days of Madness. The same phenomenon occurred in 2021 when, at the same festival, he came to promote the unlikely animated film Puffins, for which he lent his voice. Fans began arriving early in the morning on a strangely foggy October day for Rome, braving chilly weather that seemed not to deter Depp’s enthusiasts. While it’s clear that having a Hollywood star is a draw for any festival, the crowd that has swarmed to see Depp at these Italian events raises a curious question: why does Johnny Depp still command such success today?

It’s not about his professional career, which, in stark contrast to this ongoing admiration, has stalled with no clear resurgence on the horizon—and no, directing Modì doesn’t qualify as such. Rather, it’s about why an actor who has long struggled to escape the shadow of his own persona still draws such large crowds to the red carpet, creating a frenzy matched by few other “seasoned” stars, making his public appearances grand events. Perhaps the answer lies in his ability to embed himself in a cinematic landscape so iconic and influential that he continues to thrive off his past achievements nearly a decade after his last notable films. Not to mention the infamous divorce and trial with Amber Heard, which in the U.S. completely shifted the public perception of Depp’s relevance and appeal. Outside the States, however, this shift appears to have made him even more influential, particularly regarding film productions and job opportunities. Moreover, Depp has been fortunate to embody a vast array of iconic characters that remain timeless and immutable. From his collaboration with Tim Burton—which, despite a few missteps like the Alice in Wonderland sequel, carved out its own unique parallel universe—to playing roles such as Edward Scissorhands, which cemented his legacy. Similarly, the fortune (and curse) of being Jack Sparrow (excuse me, Captain Jack Sparrow) continues to define him. So much so that, while directing Riccardo Scamarcio in Modì, the opening sequence mirrors one of Sparrow’s signature, clumsy, yet captivating dashes from Pirates of the Caribbean. It’s as though he’s now only capable of recreating (or teaching others to recreate) that style.

That said, Johnny Depp undoubtedly had an enviable career, at least up until the early 2000s. He made blockbuster films that resonated with audiences, such as What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (alongside a young Leonardo DiCaprio) and Finding Neverland. He ventured into cult classics like Cry-Baby, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and Donnie Brasco. “Because Johnny is Johnny,” replied one of the fans at the Rome Film Fest when asked why she was waiting so long. However, unlike contemporaries like Brad Pitt or George Clooney—who even reunited for the fun and dynamic Wolves, now set for a sequel—Depp’s career has undeniably stalled. Private scandals—yes, we’re back to the Depp-Heard trial, but not just that—have also affected his public image. It was hard to ignore the swelling that marked his appearances on red carpets, a result of alcohol abuse and substance dependency that Depp openly addressed during interviews amid his divorce. Among his revelations were struggles with depression and even suicidal thoughts, which he sought to counteract by touring with his band, the Hollywood Vampires.

Despite being a man who is visibly not in peak form due to his dependencies, an actor allegedly needing an earpiece to be fed lines, and someone no longer favored by studios—so much so that he was replaced by Mads Mikkelsen as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts (a blessing in disguise, given how the franchise fared)—fans seem (or want) to see only the positive, the legacy of his past. Brands recognize this affection, understanding the power of a name that resonates with audiences even when the film industry doesn’t. Dior signed Depp to a $20 million contract renewal in 2023 as the face of their top-selling fragrance, Sauvage—the highest contract ever for a perfume ambassador. All Depp needs to do for the campaign is show off his tattoos and lean into his signature grunge-gypsy aura that has defined him since the early 2000s. Whether Terry Gilliam, with whom Depp worked on Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, can restore his acting gravitas with the upcoming The Carnival at the End of Days (set to film in 2025 if funds materialize) remains to be seen. In this project, Depp is cast in a symbolic role as Satan, alongside Jeff Bridges as God and Adam Driver. Intriguing, but not groundbreaking—though fans seem unfazed by originality. Whether his career has a revival or not, perhaps Johnny Depp’s secret lies in having made so many excellent choices early on that he can afford to ride on them indefinitely, keeping his audience on his side, willing to follow him anywhere. To the Venice Film Festival, the Rome Film Fest, or even, perhaps, to hell.