A #thread about how Johnny Depp prepared for his iconic role as Captain Jack Sparrow. 
When Johnny Depp was first offered the role of Captain Jack Sparrow, Disney did not envision this character to be the beloved, flamboyant character we’d come to know.
According to Johnny Depp, in the original screenplay, they’d expected him to play a pirate who “swings in, fights a little bit and then swings out, grabs a girl and that’s it”.
It would have been a really bland movie, if that had happened.
Though, the two other lead actors - Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom were decent and reasonably believable, their characters weren’t exactly interesting enough.
Though, the two other lead actors - Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom were decent and reasonably believable, their characters weren’t exactly interesting enough.
But good old Johnny had different ideas about his character.
As the performer who can be bigger than life on screen, he wanted more. Which got him thinking.
As the performer who can be bigger than life on screen, he wanted more. Which got him thinking.
By now, we’re probably relatively unfazed by crazy stuff Johnny Depp dreams up.
However, of all places, Johnny Depp apparently constructed his character while sitting in his sauna!
However, of all places, Johnny Depp apparently constructed his character while sitting in his sauna!
Not his actual sauna, but you get the idea. The photo was for illustration purposes only.
He figured that Captain Jack Sparrow has been living on the high seas for all his life, having had to deal with unbearable heat, Johnny cranked up the heat of his sauna. Wayyyy up, and sat in the suffocating heat for as long as he could bear.
While drowning in his own perspiration, Johnny became aware that the heat was affecting him mentally.
His brain felt overheated, which gave him an inspiration for Captain Jack - to a degree, poor Captain Jack’s brain must have been fried!
His brain felt overheated, which gave him an inspiration for Captain Jack - to a degree, poor Captain Jack’s brain must have been fried!
Which probably explains why the brilliant Captain Jack we’ve seen can behave incredulously eccentric at times!
As for walking as though as he was drunk - Johnny explained that for someone who has been living on sea for so long, he would have sea legs.
By the time Captain Jack gets on land, he would have trouble adapting to land. Hence the wobbly legs.
By the time Captain Jack gets on land, he would have trouble adapting to land. Hence the wobbly legs.
Disney was initially unhappy with the early footage of Captain Jack, thinking Johnny must have butchered their creation.
How dare he turn Captain Jack into a “drunk” and “gay” clownish character. They were absolutely livid!
How dare he turn Captain Jack into a “drunk” and “gay” clownish character. They were absolutely livid!
But Johnny stuck to his guns, saying Disney would have to fire him if they didn’t like his interpretation.
He wasn’t about to back down so easily. Thankfully, Disney eventually relented.
He wasn’t about to back down so easily. Thankfully, Disney eventually relented.
And Johnny breathed life into one of the most iconic, comically hilarious cinematic character of our times.
