Hollywood star Johnny Depp has revealed he suffers from “depression” for a short period of time after filming every project.
The Pirates of the Caribbean actor said he does not take acting “seriously” but he enjoys being in character because as a “shy person” he feels more comfortable to hide behind a different identity.
“The concept of being a ‘serious actor’ is the biggest oxymoron... I still can’t take acting seriously, but a bit of method is a useful thing. I’ll never be the guy who plays Henry VIII and grabs a giant turkey leg while ignoring the packet of Doritos on the table, but I do jump in and out of character.
“At the end of a production, there is always a period of depression, because I’m a shy person in life and in character I can be anything,” Depp told The Times.
The 55-year-old actor, who is currently touring with his band, The Hollywood Vampires , which also features Alice Cooper and Joe Perry, said success in films is still a “mystery” to him as he always wanted to be a musician.
“I never left music. I never stopped playing. But I gained a certain amount of success in another field, which is still a mystery to me. When I first went to Los Angeles with my band we drove across country in a rented van, breaking down along the way, searching for the almighty record deal. It was my life.
“Then the acting thing started to happen, the band broke up, and I got a job (on ‘21 Jump Street’) where they were going to pay me USD 1,200 a week. The first thing I did was call my mom and say, ‘Hey, you can quit your job.’” he said.
Depp added that his movie career makes it difficult for him to have a normal life.
“I don’t want to be one of those whiny, complaining actors... S**t, I don’t even know if I am an actor, I never made that decision ... But the acting life makes the normal life harder.”