Did Johnny Depp go to acting school? For an actor of his caliber, it’s no wonder that many people are trying to figure out where Depp picked up his excellent acting skills.
No, this may come as a shock but Johnny Depp never went to acting school. However, the actor did take some acting classes early on in his acting journey.
Johnny Depp was introduced to acting in a very unusual and unexpected way. In his early days, the young Johnny Depp actually had his sights set on becoming a rockstar. Depp would continue to be passionate about music for the rest of life but, as we all know, his acting skills have earned him the position of one of the world’s favorite famous people.
Depp’s Unusual Path to Acting
Johnny Depp’s early years were spent in Kentucky. He was the youngest of four to a civil engineer father and a waitress mother. He had a tumultuous childhood, and when he was just 15 his parents got divorced, which brought a lot of pain and stress to the young Johnny Depp.
Depp began coping in several unhealthy ways, including self harm and drug use. At just 16, he dropped out of high school to really pursue his passion for music. Depp’s garage band, the Kids was moderately successful, opening for big bands like the Talking Heads and the B-52s.
Unfortunately, the band didn’t do well financially and Depp actually spent some of his teen years living in a friend’s car. Depp got married young and decided to get a new job to help support himself and his wife.
Depp has since referred to this job, as a telemarketer selling ink pens, as his “first acting job.”
As luck would have it, Depp’s wife at the time, Lori Allison, took Depp to Los Angeles to meet her ex boyfriend, Nicolas Cage. Cage noticed some acting potential in Depp and introduced him to a few Hollywood agents.
After success in some small acting roles, Depp landed his first real acting gig in the 1984 Nightmare on Elm Street film.
Acting Classes
In the late 1980s, and with some acting experience under his belt, Depp started to study acting. He reportedly had some of his first classes at LA’s Loft Studio. He then continued some acting lessons with a private coach.
Now, after a successful acting career that has lasted more than 30 years, the actor himself is the one giving acting classes. Depp has won 28 major film awards and has been nominated for the Oscar’s three times.
A few years ago, Depp held a masterclass in China, teaching young Chinese filmmakers and actors some of what he knows. The 2018 class took place at the very first Hainan International Film Festival.
Some of the lessons Depp shared with his Chinese students included the importance of observation. Depp said that one of his favorite pastimes includes simply watching people. As an important element of acting, Depp shared with students that body language and speaking styles are two things picked up from observing people.
The actor also said that you can learn a lot about someone, especially their motivations, simply by watching thim. As an important aspect of being a good actor, Depp claimed that this is helpful when it comes to ensuring that a director gets exactly what they want from an actor.
An Example for Acting Schools
It’s safe to say that Johnny Depp is one of the most unique and talented actors the world has ever known. He’s had a long and interesting career and its breadth and variety includes both low-key indie films as well as Hollywood blockbusters. While the actor himself never officially attended an acting school, his career is sure to be something that will be discussed in acting schools all around the world for the years to come.