Johnny Depp says he’s too old-school to explore technology. He talks about his fascination for music and adds that it’s the one thing common between him and girlfriend Amber Heard
What attracted you towards a sci-fi movie like Transcendence, that’s releasing tomorrowIJ
What I found most interesting about this film is that when I first read the script and started to experience the story, it had a classic feel of sci-fi. But as you watch and get further into the story, you realise that it’s reality. A lot of the technology that was being used — the ability to upload a human consciousness into a giant computer or hard drive — is actually just around the corner. It leaves the arena of sci-fi and into a projection of the future which is very different. What fascinated me more than anything is the correlation between technology and power — the idea that a guy who is able to download his sentient being into a machine can become God or a version of God. Religion is a fascinating black hole to me.
How was the experience of working with the Oscar winning cinematographer Wally Pfister in his directorial debutIJ
Wally’s work as a director of photography is legendary. So I was familiar with that. But Wally would set up a shot and then we’d go and play guitar. He and I would sit, and Paul would come over and we’d make him teach us Beatles songs. We just instantly got along. He is just incredibly collaborative, very open. His approach to each shot was not only technically appealing, thanks to his background behind the camera, but there was real poetry and emotion in the way he saw each scene playing out and the way he wanted to tell the story. I think he really made a seamless transition.
From Edward Scissorhands to Jack Sparrow, you have sported various looks for your movies over the years. Is it fun getting so involved with the charactersIJ
I love the idea of changing my look. I think one owes it to the audience, to go out there and give them something different each time, so as not to bore them to death. And I always felt that if you’re not trying something different each time out of the gate, you’re being safe, and you don’t ever want to find that place of safety. I like that, each time, before I even go in front of the cameras, the studio’s reaction will be fear. For me it’s always more difficult, slightly exposing, to play something close to yourself. I always like to try to hide just because I can’t stand the way I look, first.
How tech-savvy are you in real lifeIJ
I’m not technical. Things go wrong all the time, especially between me and technology. I’m not familiar with it at all. I’m too old-school a brain to even figure it out. Anything I have to attack with my thumbs for any period of time makes me feel stupid. So I try to avoid technology as much as possible — to protect my thumbs, of course.
You play Dr Will Caster, an Artificial Intelligence Researcher in the movie. Can you tell us something about your characterIJ
What I really found intriguing about this story was the idea that one man with a brilliant mind, a simple guy who adores his wife and does the crossword puzzle every morning, is able to take his expertise to the point where ego, power and passion could ultimately evolve him into something of a mechanical God. He’s a good guy who has the world’s best interests at heart in trying to achieve transcendence. But because he becomes so powerful, has access to basically all the information on the Internet and believes in his own methods, it becomes very hard to stop him. Anyone with that much control, even with what may be the best of intentions, well…there will always be those who see things differently. In Will’s case, it seems like it may be too late to stop him. The challenge was closely mapping out every emotion and moment of growth in my character as he evolves in the computer. It all had to come together in the right order. It starts out a little bit vague. My character questions what would happen in this technology of mixing man with machine. Once he’s inside the computer, it’s also a little vague at first. Is he losing itIJ Is he evolvingIJ What is the end resultIJ Is man playing GodIJ”
What are your personal views on technologyIJ
People have been fighting wars over ‘my God is better than your God’ for thousands of years. In the 21st century, I think it’s appropriate to look at the way human beings worship technology and what that could mean for our future. Whether you’re on the side of technology or ecology, a pacifist or an extremist, most people have very definite opinions, and the question of how far we should allow our dependence on computers to go is a question that needs to be asked.
Congratulations on your recent engagement. Would you like to share something about your relationship with Amber HeardIJ
Every day, every year that you get a little bit older, you get a little bit wiser. You have an easier, better look at what’s going on in your life. Then you meet someone. I am everything that she wouldn’t want to be with. In a lot of ways, she’s everything that I wouldn’t want to be with because with actors and actresses, it’s not an easy deal. But she has a very good perspective on her career. On one of the first times I sat down with her, just talking after we met, I was astonished at how smart she is. She’s a real strong, brilliant woman who has a lot to say. She has great knowledge of that and country music. It’s an interesting thing — when you realise that you are at a point in your life where you are able to dedicate your life to one person, to love that person. As you do your children. So yeah, I guess it’s a little combination. She’s a wonderful girl and I’m very lucky.
You recently made a statement citing music as your first love. Could you elaborate on thatIJ
Music is still my first love as much as it ever was, since I was a little kid and first picked up a guitar and tried to figure out how to make it go. I loved playing the guitar and playing in a band and just hanging out with guys who loved music and pretty much felt the same way about school and life that I did. Even though I knew at one point that I would never be a great guitar player, I still loved the freedom that came from playing in a band. My band was good enough to open for Iggy Pop and that was a wild time for us. Music was the thing that got me out of pumping gas and indirectly led me into acting. I’ve been playing a lot of music lately. It’s a real lifesaver, being able to focus on my first love. It’s freedom.