PEOPLE
Five things you should know about Kentucky native, actor Johnny Depp
Kirby AdamsLouisville Courier Journal
Aug. 14, 2026, 5:01 a.m. ET
- Actor Johnny Depp was born in Owensboro, Kentucky, in 1963 and lived in the state until age 10.
- He was once the world’s highest-paid actor, earning $75 million in 2012 according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
- Depp is an honorary Kentucky Colonel, having been nominated for the title by the late author Hunter S. Thompson.
- Before his acting career, Depp was a musician who opened for bands like the Ramones and Iggy Pop.
- He based his iconic Captain Jack Sparrow character on Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards and the cartoon skunk Pepé Le Pew.
Kentucky has given the world bourbon, horse racing, and Muhammad Ali. It has also given Hollywood one of its most eccentric leading men
Johnny Depp was born in Owensboro, Kentucky in 1963, the youngest of four children to Betty Sue Palmer, a waitress, and John Christopher Depp, a civil engineer
Before young John Christopher Depp II was old enough to accumulate even one of his eventual dozens of tattoos, the family relocated to Frankfort, Kentucky, where his mother waited tables at the Holiday Inn. He lived there from ages 3 to 10 when the family moved to Florida. Depp would return to Kentucky many years later to purchase a 41-acre horse farm on Versailles Road in Lexington for his mother, which he later sold in 2018
Depp began acting in the 1980s, accumulating iconic roles, a famously eclectic wardrobe, hundreds of rings and necklaces, and a romantic history that reads like a who’s-who of Hollywood’s most interesting women
He’s been engaged to actress Winona Ryder and supermodel Kate Moss, shared 14 years and two children with French singer Vanessa Paradis, and has been married twice
Currently, Depp has been back in the news promoting his new film “Ebenezer,” a dark fantasy adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” directed by Ti West. Depp plays the title character of Ebenezer Scrooge in the Paramount Pictures film, which is set to open in theaters on Nov. 13
Though you’ve seen him in moves like “Edward Scissorhands,” “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” and “The Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, here are five things to known about the Kentucky native
Johnny Depp was a reluctant teen heartthrob
Depp became a poster-on-the-bedroom-wall sensation after being cast in the original “21 Jump Street,” which aired from 1987-1991 on FOX
He played Officer Tom Hanson, a clean-cut rookie whose youthful looks allowed him to go undercover in high schools and colleges to investigate teenage crimes and drug rings
Initially, Depp turned down the role because he wanted to focus on music and disliked the idea of becoming a teen idol. Although he had a handful of acting credits at the time, including in Wes Craven’s 1984 supernatural slasher classic, “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” Depp had said in interviews he only took the part of Tom Hanson because he was struggling to pay rent
Johnny Depp is a Kentucky Colonel, nominated by another Kentucky legend
Depp holds membership in the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels. Awarded by the governor, it recognizes individuals for their noteworthy accomplishments, civic contributions, and outstanding service to their community, state, or nation. And get this, the man who nominated him was none other than the late Louisville native Hunter S. Thompson, the father of gonzo journalism, and one of the more colorful figures in American literature
“Colonel Depp,” as Thompson affectionately called him, starred in two films drawn from Thompson’s work, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and “The Rum Diary.”
Johnny Depp was once the highest paid actor in the world
In 2012, the Guinness Book of World Records named Depp the highest-paid actor in the world, with earnings of $75 million. This massive payday was fueled by backend profits from his role as the Mad Hatter in “Alice in Wonderland” and upfront pay for the”Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise
He shares this distinction of being an extremely high paid Hollywood actor from Kentucky with fellow Bluegrass native Jennifer Lawrence. In 2015, she topped the list earning $52 million, largely driven by her mega-success in “The Hunger Games” and “X-Men” franchises
Captain Jack Sparrow is part Keith Richards, part Looney Tunes character
For his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, Depp modeled the swaggering, rum-soaked pirate on Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards and Pepé Le Pew, the lovesick cartoon skunk with an accent and confidence problem
Depp committed so completely to this role that he underwent extensive gold capping of his teeth for the franchise, which made several billion dollars
Johnny Depp’s career began as a rock musician
Before acting claimed him, music nearly did. Depp’s mother gave him a guitar at age 12 and in high school he was part of a band named “The Kids” opening for the Ramones, Iggy Pop, the Pretenders, and Talking Heads. Even after he started acting, a suggestion from his friend Nicolas Cage, Depp didn’t let his music dream go
After roles in movies like “Platoon” and”Edward Scissorhands,” the Oscar-nominated actor still continued to pursue music. He was in the band “P” with Butthole Surfers front man Gibby Haynes and singer-songwriter Bill Carter. The band, which occasionally featured Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, released a self-titled album in 1995 before breaking up
Throughout his acting career, Depp has continued to play music along side numerous artists including Iggy Pop, Chad Sexton, Marilyn Manson, Ryan Adams and with Alice Cooper in the band Hollywood Vampires
