Super Teen Super Special, 1998 – Has Johnny Caught Your Eye?
Title: Has Johnny Caught Your Eye?
Publication: Super Teen Super Special
Issue: 1998
Johnny Depp always had an inkling that he would be famous. But when he was signed to co-star on the hot new TV series 21 Jump Street last year, he was astounded. Johnny had expected that his route to renown would be through rock n roll, not through acting!
It was music that had been Johnny’s lifelong passion. Born In Kentucky in 1963. Johnny found early on that he had a sharp, solid instinct for rock “n” roll. His family moved to Miramar. Florida when Johnny was 6, and it was in that town that he learned to play the guitar. Soon his dreams came to center around that instrument and the band that he and his friends formed, called The Kids. Well these particular “kids” were very grown up when it came to big plans, and after they had all graduated from high school, the guys pooled their resources and moved to Los Angeles. Visions of instant stardom flashed bright in each pair of eager eyes. It was 1983, and Johnny Depp felt ready for the Big Time.
But the Big Let Down is what Johnny and his fellow band members experienced. In order to keep going, Johnny had to take any job he could get. The one he took? 1 sold pens over the telephone. I guess it’s called telemarketing. I needed the money to pay the rent—on an awful, shabby place I was renting.” he recalls.
Weary and increasingly disillusioned, the Kids played on. One of the people who heard them, actor Nicholas Cage, became first a fan, and then a friend One day Nicholas took Johnny aside and said. “Why don’t you give acting a chance?” Stunned. Johnny replied that he didn’t know how to go about it. In short order. Nicholas found Johnny an agent—and the agent found Johnny a job. He was sent to audition for a role in Nightmare on Elm Street even though I figured there’s no way in the world I’m going to get a part in this movie! “Nightmare on Elm Street if you don’t already know, became Johnny first acting role!
The gorgeous brown-eyed guy then quickly went on to roles in Platoon, Private Resort and the cable TV movie Slow Burn. He was asked to read for the part of undercover police investigator Tommy Hanson on 21 Jump Street by a producer who saw him in Private Resort By that time, The Kids had broken up, and Johnny future was clearly (and happily!) rerouted to acting. He related to “Tommy” from the beginning: “1 can understand the difficulties the show deals with because I was always getting into mischief when I was in high school!” But beyond that, Johnny loves the music on each show (it’s always a different, hot new album), the super-trendy clothes,