Filmgoers who went into “Finding Neverland” expecting another adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s classic “Peter Pan” were probably surprised to find a film focusing on Barrie himself and how he came to write the beloved children’s favorite. An actor with a deserved reputation for large performances, Depp’s portrayal of Barrie is uncharacteristically restrained, with many critics noting just how spot on the tone was in capturing Barrie. The industry agreed, with Depp receiving nominations for Best Actor for the Oscars, Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild.
2.What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” was surely a change-of-pace for Depp — a straight drama set in a small Iowa town in which Depp serves as caretaker to his morbidly obese mother Bonnie (Darlene Case) and his mentally challenged younger brother Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio). Depp’s performance is the vibrant heart and soul of “Gilbert Grape,” and the chemistry between Depp and DiCaprio in particular is especially convincing, persuading audience that Gilbert and Arnir are truly brothers.
1.Pirates of the Caribbean
Depp captured lightning-in-a-bottle with his decision to model his pirate Jack Sparrow after the out-there rock icon Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. Depp’s bold approach reportedly caused some Disney executives to be aghast when they viewed the dailies, with some wanting to shut down production compleely, convinced it was going to be a flop. A flop it certainly was not, and the center of what is now a five-film franchise is Depp’s now-iconic pirate. For the first “Pirates” film, “The Curse of the Black Pearl,” Depp won the Best Actor award from the Screen Actors Guild and earned nominations for the Oscar and the Golden Globe, and for Pirates 2, 2006’s “Dead Man’s Chest” garnered Depp his seventh Golden Globe nomination.
