Johnny Depp returns to the big screen as the iconic, swashbuckling anti-hero Jack Sparrow. The actor talks about the rip-roaring adventure, his cartoon inspirations, complementing a counterpoint called Javier Bardem and convincing Sir Paul Mc Cartney for a bit role
How did you shape up the character of Jack SparrowIJ
When I was first approached to do Pirates of the Caribbean, there was no script at all. It didn’t exist. I was in a meeting with Dick Cook at Disney. Being the perfect gentleman, he just asked me if I would be interested in doing a film based on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and one thing led to another.
They had something else in mind but I had this idea that I got from watching animation films and cartoons with my daughter, who was three at the time. When I was watching Bugs Bunny or Roadrunner or Wile E. Coyote, I was obsessed with how a boulder drops and smashes Wile E. Coyote in one scene, and then in the next he’s just got a crisscross band-aid on his head. So it’s above and beyond the suspension of disbelief and I wondered if there was a way to broaden that, to widen the spectrum and the parameters of that concept through acting in a film.
How did you transition from understanding the concept and developing it into a flesh and blood characterIJ
I get these images in my head; some sparks fly and some synapses fire and an idea arises. I remember what two of my favourite writers said — Jack Kerouac, who said the first thought is the best thought and Ernest Hemingway who, when asked about writing a book, said write one true sentence. So I considered their approach when I was thinking of Captain Jack. It would be my first thoughts, and the truth. I first thought of the parameters, the cartoons, and how I could make that happen. How could I be as irreverent as possible and get away with itIJ
I wanted to find out who Jack was, so I started thinking about pirates as rock stars of that era. There are many types of pirates in rock n’ roll but the one that I thought would fit the bill was Keith Richards, as a kind of basis for the character. Then I started getting into the abstract of Keith Richards and Pepe le Pew. I sort of amalgamated these two guys and took it forward from there.
What was your reaction to the audience who catapulted Captain Jack to a cult heroIJ
I was shocked. Nobody could have predicted how that film was going to be received, and I certainly couldn’t have predicted how a character that was constructed from a lot of broad strokes and a few delicate lines would appeal to the audience.
How have you experimented with the character of Jack in the five storiesIJ
One of the key decisions that I had made for Captain Jack was that there would be no arc. I don’t know if he learns from the things he does but I don’t want him to. I think he just moves; he just goes. He just keeps going, so there’s no need for redemption. He is at full arc. He is what he is and he can’t be anything else. He’s absolutely like the very deep centre of the reptilian part of our brain; he’s the id come to life.
Tell us about your directorsIJ
The directors, Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, were a great surprise because we had only sort of met and talked a bit before we went into production. They didn’t know me; I didn’t know them. But they surprised me because they were welcoming with regard to any of the weirdest things that I wanted to add to the film. And if I asked them to shoot the scene in a couple of different ways, they would do it. They let me go nuts with improvisation, and were very open-minded when it came to my suggestions and ideas. I grew to love them. They would let me do some very strange stuff and they would just sort of laugh. An actor’s responsibility is to give the director options.
How about getting the cast back togetherIJ
It was just magnificent. Suddenly I find myself surrounded by this ragtag group of actors, who I don’t recognise as actors but rather as the characters that they play. For instance, Kevin McNally is just Master Gibbs to me and Stephen Graham is just Scrum. So, instantly you pick right up from where you had left off and try to make each other laugh in scenes. It’s nice to have Orlando Bloom back to bookend the story of his father, not to mention guys like Murtogg and Mullroy too. This is such a stellar cast.
What about the new membersIJ
Kaya (Scodelario) and Brenton (Thwaites) came in as a sort of representative of the first Pirates and bookending the story, which was nice. I liked the way it was approached. Kaya plays a tough, smart, young woman named Carina, who stands her ground. Brenton plays Will Turner’s kid, Henry, and does a great job with it. Kaya is super talented and Brenton is a very good-hearted kid who’s also very talented.
How can I forget my old friend Javier BardemIJ He plays Captain Salazar. When Jerry told me that Javier Bardem was in, I was ecstatic. I had worked with Javier before and he definitely gives you something to work with, to chew on and to think about. You basically get into the ring together, and you’re throwing things at each other to sort of play. It was a great experience working with Javier in this way, seeing him as this broken-hearted hero. There was a lot of dignity in his performance, and a lot of honour too. Considering his condition in the film, one wouldn’t necessarily expect that sort of behaviour. As much as he wants to kill Jack, there is still some kind of honour involved. He came in like a bat out of hell and just killed it. It was beautiful work.
There’s a connection to him in the Pirates of the Caribbean world because he’s married to Penelope Cruz, correctIJ
When we were doing On Stranger Tides with Penelope, Javier would come around to the sets and stay for quite some time. I remember telling him that he should be involved in one of these. It’s rare for such a thing to actually come true. Penelope and Javier are some of my best friends. Their children are like my own.
What about Paul McCartneyIJ
A funny idea came to my head about Jack running into his Uncle Jack in jail and I thought Paul McCartney would be perfect to play him. I didn’t know if it would be possible for me to drum up enough courage to ask him, even though he’s the sweetest man in the world, and certainly the most talented. But I went for it and did it. I just called him and told him that I had this idea for a gag in the film that might be fun, and asked if he would be interested.
He thought it sounded cool, so we started talking about the character. He told me a story about his Uncle Jack, who was always telling jokes and giving the kiddies a silver half crown. So then, he became Uncle Jack, who my character Jack was named after by his brother, Jack’s father, played by Keith Richards in At World’s End. The beauty lies in the fact that you’re expecting a Rolling Stone and it turns out to be a Beatle. To pull that off was insane. Paul is a great actor. This guy is clearly not lacking in the talent department. He is amazing.
How does Salazar rate in terms of the villains that you’ve had in the filmsIJ
They’re all so different. But Javier is absolutely unique in his character, in his performance of it as well as what he’s done with it. The idea that he had this kind of endless black coming from his mouth, which is death, and the way he played that through is beautiful. Javier very carefully and beautifully created a character for whom you feel something. As an actor, Javier’s given us a lot of gifts and this is a really special one.
What are you most excited about for the audience to get to experienceIJ
We’ve come up with new angles and surprises; things are a bit more bizarre, even a bit darker. There is some really funny stuff as well. So, I think it will have that element of surprise like the first edition.