Johnny Depp’s maverick choices as an actor has made him one of the most interesting and popular stars in Hollywood. The celebrity has entertained audiences multiple times over the years through his unique method of portraying characters. From his early days in Edward Scissorhands to his iconic Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, Depp has never shied away from challenging himself and pushing the envelope when it comes to performance.
One of the star’s prominent roles came in avantgarde director Tim Burton’s version of Alice In Wonderland. Depp who played the role of the Mad Hatter, worked with Burton to create a unique and different version of the popular Lewis Caroll character using the director’s quirky imagination. Despite Depp’s ability to master difficult roles, the film posed a far greater challenge to the actor than any of his previous ventures.
Johnny Depp Had A Bad Time With The Green Screen
The green screen is one of the most commonly used tools in filmmaking to incorporate CGI effects in films. With actors having familiarized themselves with the technique, most films in the action, sci-fi and fantasy genre use it extensively to add greater and more impressive effects. Johnny Depp who was part of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland confessed that he struggled with the green screen that caused him to face a lot of challenges to conquer it on set. The actor spoke of the experience and said,
“The novelty of the green wears off very quickly. It’s exhausting, actually. I mean, I like an obstacle – I don’t mind having to spew dialogue while having to step over dolly track while some guy is holding a card and I’m talking to a piece of tape. But the green beats you up. You’re kind of befuddled at the end of the day.”
Despite the obstacles that Depp faced, the actor managed to look effortless and shine in his portrayal of the Mad Hatter proving that he can still thrive despite being thrown in the deep end.
Alice In Wonderland Script Attracted Johnny Depp
Alice In Wonderland was a film that threw Johnny Depp out of his comfort zone with the actor’s aversion to working with the green screen. But The Tourist actor, being the eccentric star that he is, has never backed away from portraying new and interesting characters in roles that have never been done before. Tim Burton, a maverick director himself, was instrumental in getting Depp to be part of Alice In Wonderland. Speaking of his desire to always attempt something off the beaten path, Depp said,
“The last thing I want to look like is myself. I’ve always felt that it was important to escape. I always figured if I just did the same thing over and over, I’d not only bore myself, I’d bore the audience.”
The actor spoke of the creative nuances in the script of Alice in Wonderland and Tim Burton’s unique vision as the driving force behind accepting to play the role of the Mad Hatter in the film.
Source: The Things
