With one of the most colorful and bizarre acting resumes to date, Johnny Depp has played some of the most memorable and wackiest characters on screen (thanks in large part due to his long-time collaboration with director Tim Burton). But Depp has also brought great depth to dramatic period pieces and gangster films, showing a varied career with a preference for extravagant roles - especially when he tried to escape his teenage heartthrob image when he was just starting.
He's excited audiences with a swashbuckling pirate, an outcast with scissors for hands, a chocolate factory worker, and even a demonic barber that sings. But several films of his are quite underrated and deserve more recognition.
8 The Professor - Richard Brown
One of the most recent entries in Depp's career and one of his more subtle performances, this comedic drama is far more successful and enjoyable than the few negative critical scores it garnered. The Professor finds Depp as an English college professor with stage four cancer who has to decide how to deal with the news, whether it's through self-destruction or finding closure with the world and urging others to live life to the fullest.
The story is far from uncharted but Depp gives one of his most brilliant performances without all the makeup and stagecraft in that he's both hilarious and gentle in his approach while tackling a rather serious message about the importance of our time on Earth.
7 Ed Wood - Ed Wood
The Depp and Tim Burton collaboration that seems to often be forgotten by audiences - Ed Wood is one of their most successful outings, especially for Burton. The 1994 biographical story centered around Ed Wood, often labeled the worst director in history, explores the film industry and Wood's career as he creates a series of low-budget films and throws all the rules of filmmaking out the window.
Depp's performance is wacky, confident, and colorful - even in a black-and-white picture. One minute he's directing a scene without any cuts and the next he's running around without a permit, and wearing women's clothing.
6 Secret Window - Mort Rainey
Based on a novella by Stephen King, Secret Window lets Depp pursue the psychological thriller genre. Though the film received mixed reviews, it showcases Depp's talents for drama as a lonely writer who is suddenly accused of plagiarizing his own story.
Depp quickly becomes haunted, paranoid, and defensive - making the viewer question every move a character makes, never wanting to take their eyes off of the screen. It has one of the most fascinating twists in all cinema and again proves that Depp is much more than a character actor.
5 Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas - Raoul Duke
This cult classic has gained a growing audience over the years since its 1998 release, but Depp's performance is not nearly praised enough. Adapted from author Hunter S. Thompson's novel, Depp plays the fictionalized version of Thompson - Raoul Duke. The drug-fueled black comedy is truly a trip as you watch Depp and Benicio del Toro's Dr. Gonzo venture through Las Vegas in the name of journalism and having a good time.
Depp is almost unrecognizable with a bald head, a zany Thompson accent, and a pair of large shades, as he speeds down the Vegas desert swatting at hallucinatory bats. It's one of the most intriguing character studies Depp has ever done as viewers try to piece together what's real and what isn't in this wild ride.
4 Rango - Rango
As his performance in the stop-motion animated Corpse Bride with Tim Burton often gets showered with praise and recognition, the 2011 animated film Rango is often overlooked. While Depp is voice acting this time around, his physical performance behind the camera went into his character's movements and personality in behind-the-scenes footage.
He plays a pet chameleon who finds himself in the western town of Dirt, quickly taking up the mantle of sheriff without really knowing what he's doing besides enjoying the attention. Rango instantly became a success critically and commercially, evening winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, but sadly many seemed to have forgotten about it and Depp's wonderful performance as a theatrical, hilarious little chameleon.
3 Black Mass - Whitey Bulger
Heading away from the semi-kid-friendly territory, Depp puts in one of his best performances as a terrifying real-life crime boss in the crime drama Black Mass. He's almost unrecognizable as he's transformed into the cold-hearted killer and American mobster, Whitey Bulger, marking a return for Depp to the crime genre.
The film was received well, but it flew relatively under the radar. Depp often plays the role of the hero in his work, so seeing him shed his comfortable character archetypes is a real treat that highlights his abilities as an actor.
2 Minamata - W. Eugene Smith
The most recent film of Depp's to date comes with Minamata, a biographical drama that once again shows Depp in a role that isn't flashy or otherworldly. Playing an American photographer who plans to document how mercury poisoning is affecting the citizens of Minamata, Kumamoto, Japan, after being urged by a Japanese translator, he tries to uncover the truth and corruption as well as earn his place in the community.
As one of the few roles Depp was able to secure after his legal issues and declining reputation, it showed what Depp could do with smaller projects and the beautiful nature of independent filmmaking. Not only does his complex performance come across as graceful and honorable, but he doesn't overshadow the truth and message of the film.
1 Arizona Dream - Axel Blackmar
This 1993 surrealist film was one of Depp's first film roles and though critically praised, it did poorly at the box office in only three theaters in the U.S. A young Depp plays a man from New York who’s invited to Arizona for a wedding and meets an eccentric group of people that lead him to appreciate the state and the idea of freedom in love, death, and dreams.
The film is absurd but gorgeous and the exploration of life is complimented by Depp's soul-searching, earnest approach as if he's not just trying to express the character's wants and desires but his own as a young actor.