"I was completely freaked out” - Johnny Depp recalls being at unease with fame as a young actor

Johnny Depp talks about his experience dealing with fame as a young actor and recalls feeling uneasy. In a not-yet-named documentary by Tara Wood about the Life of director Tim Burton, someone with whom Depp had worked more than once, Depp recalled that.

"I was completely freaked out by [fame]...Paparazzi would take pictures of me. People would whisper and point their finger and stuff. I felt like sort of this raw nerve on display." - Johnny Depp via the documentary as cited by People Magazine

According to People Magazine, Depp recalled his difficult time adjusting to fame in the second episode of Tara Wood's documentary on Tim Burton, after archival footage of Burton saying that Depp is unlike the "sex symbol" the media portrayed him as shown.

The four-part, not-yet-titled docuseries on Tim Burton talks about Burton's Journey from Childhood to his latest work in 2024. And Johnny Depp, Burton's close friend, is featured in the docuseries. Others featured in the docuseries are Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Christopher Walken, Jenna Ortega, Winona Ryder, and Danny Elfman.

Johnny Depp, 61 years old and a recipient of multiple awards and acclaim, is known for his eccentric characters in works like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc. He began his film debut with A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and rose to fame with his role as a teen idol in 21 Jump Street (1987–1990).

Johnny Depp recalls his experience working with Tim Burton for the first time.

According to reports, in the documentary, Depp also recalled how he beat Tom Cruise as well as others to land the film Edward Scissorhands (1990), even though he thought he wouldn't get the role.

"After about three-and-a-half hours of a really great yak with the guy [Burton], I still thought, ‘No chance, man. No chance,’"

He thought he was blowing the film. He also said he felt left out and shared the fear he felt when he was not rehearsed by Burton, only to realize later that Burton was doing it to make him understand the loneliness necessary for the role.

"I was absolutely convinced that I was blowing it... Tim had rehearsed everyone else in the cast. Everyone. Not me. He didn’t rehearse me. He was excluding me from the cast and crew, isolating me(...)It was scary. I was uber paranoid...Why is [Burton] not rehearsing me? Maybe he trusts me. No he doesn’t. He doesn’t trust you, what are you nuts? He’s going to cast someone else, man."

Depp also talked about the bond he formed with Burton at the Edward Scissorhands set and how they "related on a lot of levels." Tim Burton, a filmmaker and producer, and Johnny Depp have known each other for many decades now, and after the success of Edward Scissorhands, the duo have collaborated on multiple projects.