Top 20 Johnny Depp Performances
#20: Ichabod Crane
“Sleepy Hollow” (1999) We’re gonna be seeing a lot of Tim Burton movies on this list, so what better way to start than with one of their most entertaining collaborations? Up to this point, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” hadn’t yet had a definitive live-action adaptation, but Burton and Depp definitely met expectations with this gothic 1999 take. While the focus of this one is on theatrics and spooky vibes, Depp accentuates the proceedings well with an energy-matching performance that’s eminently fun to watch. Though Ichabod Crane classically can come off nebbish and off-putting, Depp fits the role perfectly in a way that’s both grounded and quirky.
#19: W. Eugene Smith
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“Minamata” (2020) Johnny Depp went through a lot of personal turmoil around the turn of the 2020s, and his career suffered for it. However, he did see a return of positive reviews with the release of “Minamata,” a biopic about photojournalist W. Eugene Smith. The movie focuses on Smith’s 1970s documenting of the mercury poisoning orchestrated by the Chisso chemical company in the titular Japanese city. As Smith, Depp turns in one of his most understated performances, effectively reflecting the seriousness of the issue. The grizzled portrayal is unlike much of what we’ve seen from Depp, and could signal an equally intriguing second half of his career.
#18: Victor Van Dort
“Corpse Bride” (2005) Johnny Depp has a voice made for animation, and it frankly took too long before we saw his debut in the medium with 2005’s “Corpse Bride.” Through a series of mishaps, Depp’s Victor finds himself accidentally wed to the titular revenant. Much like Ichabod Crane,Victor is a mild-mannered, studious man but even more so, as his neurotic nature has Depp pulling double duty in the diction department. Like any Tim Burton movie, “Corpse Bride” is visually inspired - this time with some darkly beautiful stop-motion animation - but Depp’s effervescent voice work elevates the material that much more.
#17: Roux
“Chocolat” (2000) This too often forgotten box office hit is utterly delectable, and we’re not just talking about the chocolate. Indeed, Johnny Depp’s performance as river-rat Roux is downright swoonworthy. While much of the ardent passion underlying the characters in “Chocolat” is somewhat reserved, Depp and co-star Juliette Binoche’s romantic chemistry is absolutely electric. Much like smooth hot chocolate, Roux is as entrancing as he is mysterious. Though his lifestyle may be off the beaten path - or any path, for that matter - Roux is more kindhearted than many of the local villagers, and Depp displays that warmth brilliantly.
#16: Tarrant Hightopp a.k.a. The Mad Hatter
“Alice in Wonderland” Franchise (2010-16) The live-action “Alice in Wonderland” movies are messy, to say the least. Whereas most Tim Burton movies find a healthy balance between narrative and visual splendor, these ones - of which Burton directed the first - are far too reliant on green screen technology and CGI. That said, there are some performances here that keep things appropriately chipper, one of which being Johnny Depp’s portrayal of the Mad Hatter. While the classic character’s been interpreted in a myriad of ways, Depp’s version is undeniably one of the most kooky. It may not be your cup of tea, but you gotta admit that Depp demands your attention with quirky idiosyncrasies and an admirable amount of energy.
#15: John Dillinger
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“Public Enemies” (2009) Many of Johnny Depp’s most notable protagonists come off lighthearted and whimsical. But while John Dillinger is definitely the protagonist of the Michael Mann crime drama “Public Enemies,” he’s anything but lighthearted. Indeed, heretofore we hadn’t seen a Depp character be quite so intimidating. But credit Depp for taking a notorious gangster like Dillinger and making him so hypnotically mystifying that we can’t help but root for him. Complemented by Mann’s grounded filmmaking techniques, Depp’s performance here remains one that exemplifies his versatility as an actor. It wouldn’t be the last time he played a real-life criminal, but it’s definitely one of the more memorable.
#14: Willy Wonka
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“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (2005) Let’s just get this out of the way: Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka this is not. But rather than try and replicate perfection, Depp and company set out to do something completely different. And different it definitely is. Granted, there is a vocal community that’s decidedly against this movie, but it’s hard to argue against the level of commitment Depp’s putting into this characterization. Sure, his Wonka is extremely off-putting, but it somewhat fits the tone Tim Burton set out to establish. Plus, Depp does a good job of suffusing Wonka with an underlying layer of sadness as the film goes to greater strides to unpack his character. It’s not everyone’s favorite flavor, but for those open to something alternative, it might just hit the spot.
#13: Rango
“Rango” (2011) With all due respect to Victor Van Dort, Rango is the animated character Depp was born to play, though few of us would’ve ever expected it. With computer animation so detailed it’ll make your jaw drop, “Rango” is not your typical kids movie. Some might argue it’s not even a kids movie at all. But one thing it definitely gets right is Depp’s portrayal as the timid title chameleon forced way out of his element. No one could’ve played Rango but Depp, so much so that the character was made to resemble another on this list. But it’s Depp’s mannerisms and idiosyncrasies that shine through the animation, giving us a character we can identify with and admire all the same.
#12: George Jung
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“Blow” (2001) Another crime drama from Johnny Depp’s back catalog, “Blow” has persevered as something of a cult favorite in recent years, and for good reason. While its sprawling biopic approach to George Jung is a little old hat, Depp’s performance alongside a solid ensemble cast keep it thoroughly watchable. If anything, “Blow” serves as a solid character study, presenting Jung as a tragic figure who gets in the business to avoid a life of poverty, only to continually get burned by it. In this sense, it’s in the third act that Depp particularly shines, displaying regret for the impact his lifestyle has had on his family. It’s a subtle performance, but definitely one of Depp’s most underrated.
#11: Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker
“Cry-Baby” (1990) If you thought Johnny Depp and Tim Burton made for an eccentric match made in movie heaven, just wait until you see his collaboration with John Waters. In what’s also become a cult classic, Depp plays Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker, a ‘50s greaser type whose ability to shed a single tear makes all the girls go wild. It’s only when he falls in love for real that sends the town into a real frenzy. Though his character is still a heartthrob of sorts, “Cry-Baby’s” subversion of recognizable archetypes helped set Depp apart from his “21 Jump Street” days and down the path of movie stardom that we all know him for today.
#10: J. M. Barrie
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“Finding Neverland” (2004) There’s something about the whimsicality of Johnny Depp and “Peter Pan” that just goes hand and hand. But instead of having him in an adaptation of the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up, we got this delightfully affecting story about the character’s creator, J. M. Barrie. “Finding Neverland” as a whole is a tricky act to pull off. It needs to be fantastical enough to capture the spirit of “Peter Pan” and poignant enough to support the emotionality underlying it, but not so much so that it becomes saccharine. At the crux of this dilemma is Barrie’s portrayal, and thankfully Depp nailed every beat thrown his way, more than earning his second Oscar nomination.
#9: Sam
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“Benny & Joon” (1993) The ‘90s are chock-full of hidden Depp gems, but perhaps none so hidden and gemlike than “Benny & Joon.” Here Depp plays Sam, an eccentric cinephile whose irresistible personality wins over almost every character. While quirky Johnny Depp characters are nothing new and weren’t even back in 1993, this one is remembered for his physicality, as Sam embodies silent film stars like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Again, we’ve known for a long time that he could be just as expressive with his physicality as his voice or facial expressions, but it’s heartening to see how present he was so early in his career. We’d love nothing more than to see a silent comedy film starring Johnny Depp.
#8: Whitey Bulger
“Black Mass” (2015) There’s not quite as many memorable Johnny Depp performances from the 2010s as previous decades, but if there’s one that had us standing at attention, it was the one from “Black Mass.” Again playing a notorious, real-life criminal, this time Depp stars as Whitey Bulger, a prolific crime boss and FBI informant who operated in the greater Boston area in the late 20th century. While the movie as a whole might’ve come in under expectations, Depp did not disappoint, with many critics calling it his best work in years. He completely disappears into the role, giving quite possibly his scariest performance to date.
#7: Gilbert Grape
“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” (1993) Despite playing the namesake character, Johnny Depp isn’t always the first thing you think of when you think of “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.” That’ll happen when you’re working alongside a fresh-faced Leonardo DiCaprio in a much showier role. But we’d be remiss not to highlight the incredible work on display here from Depp, who’s given the herculean task of anchoring the proceedings. In such an emotionally raw yet understated movie, it needs a nuanced performance like Depp’s to subtly convey much of the sentiment going through Gilbert's head, and Depp does so with aplomb.
#6: Joseph D. Pistone a.k.a. Donnie Brasco
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“Donnie Brasco” (1997) In what has to be one of the most underrated crime movies out there, “Donnie Brasco” sees Depp play the titular undercover FBI agent, real name Joe Pistone. Also based on a true story, the movie chronicles Pistone’s infiltration of the Bonanno crime family under the Brasco alias. Along the way he befriends hitman Lefty Ruggiero - played by Al Pacino - and begins to question if he’s absorbing his criminal persona a bit too much. Much like how Pacino has to play uncharacteristically grounded, Depp similarly holds his own in a role that demands refinement. So good is he at playing cop and crook that we too begin to wonder where Pistone ends and where Brasco begins.
#5: Benjamin Barker a.k.a. Sweeney Todd
“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (2007) Depp’s surprised us plenty of times, but perhaps none more so than when he played Sweeney Todd. Not only did he reveal a fine singing voice, but he managed to nail Sondheim, something that’s notoriously difficult to do. While Tim Burton movies have always had a dourness to them, they’ve seldom gone this far into outright horror territory. Thankfully, Johnny Depp proved more than able to meet this expectation, embodying the character’s darkness in a way we hadn’t seen from him before. We fully buy Todd’s tragic downfall and can’t help but root for him during his path to retribution, bloody though it may be.
#4: Ed Wood
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“Ed Wood” (1994) And now for something completely different. When it comes to casting someone as eccentric as Ed Wood, who’s been called one of the worst film directors of all time, you can’t just get any actor. You need someone who can match Wood’s errant weirdness without sacrificing any of the nuance. Thankfully, Tim Burton and company knew this and went back to their sure bet: Johnny Depp. Depp is definitely over-the-top playing Wood; perhaps the most over-the-top he’s ever been. But damned if it doesn’t work in spades as he demands audience attention from start to finish. And while Depp’s given us plenty of funny characters since, they can essentially all be traced back here.
#3: Raoul Duke
“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” (1996) Another financial flop at the time of release, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” has gone on to be a quintessential cult classic, and a lot of that is thanks to Johnny Depp’s absolutely batty performance. Here he plays Raoul Duke, a stand-in for writer Hunter S. Thompson whose novel serves as the basis for the film. Though the plot is unwieldy as Duke and his companion traverse the titular city of sin in a drug-fueled haze, the connective tissue holding it all together is Depp’s meticulously acted portrayal. Not only did Depp study Thompson’s mannerisms for months in preparation, but the writer even beforehand said he couldn’t see anyone else in the role. High praise and well deserved to boot.
#2: Edward Scissorhands
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“Edward Scissorhands” (1990) This marks the first pairing between Depp and director Tim Burton and remains arguably their best. Depp is virtually unrecognizable as the eponymous “monstrosity,” but his acting talents are on full display nonetheless. Another quietly demanding role, Edward Scissorhands could’ve come off as mawkish, but Depp manages to muster all the sympathy he needs from the audience with an incredible amount of pathos and heart. While Edward is by far one of Depp’s more taciturn characters, he manages to say so much with simple facial expressions and body language. Seriously, if anyone ever doubted Depp’s ability, they need only watch this movie.
#1: Jack Sparrow
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“Pirates of the Caribbean” Franchise (2003-) Of course, Captain Jack Sparrow. We all pretty much knew it was only a matter of time before Johnny Depp got recognition from the Academy, but few could’ve guessed it’d come with a blockbuster based on an amusement park ride. Such is the perfect marriage between character and actor, though, as Johnny Depp was absolutely born to play savvy and wisecracking swashbuckler Jack Sparrow. Indeed, he stole every scene in the first installment, so much so that it essentially became his franchise. From his mannerisms to his voice work to his characterization, everything clicks here. Even as the future of the franchise remains up in the air, it’s impossible to see anyone else as Captain Jack Sparrow.
