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Berlingske Tidende, January 11, 2002

In the movie "From Hell", Johnny Depp plays the role of the dubious, opium smoking police inspector Fred Abberline, who chases the mysterious killer, Jack The Ripper, in 1880s Victorian London. "I have to admit that I like these kinds of Gothic stories", says the actor, who on the other hand doesn’t care for commercial success.

VENICE
One wonders what the suspenders are there for?
There’s actually no way of knowing.
Normally, their function would obviously be to hold up the trousers, but since they are not suspended over Johnny Depp’s shoulders but are instead dangling on his butt, they actually serve no purpose. Unless they are supposed to signal that the long-haired young American is a rebellious Bohemian and utterly indifferent to his looks?
It’s a tempting thought, because on the whole, Johnny Depp’s appearance is thoroughly unconventional on this late summer day on the island of Lido in Venice. There are white stripes in his wild dark hair, he’s decorated with a little moustache and ditto goatee, and around his shoulders where the suspenders are obviously not placed, a large scarf is flung instead.
He’s wearing a black t-shirt, black pants and a black vest, and on both upper arms he exhibits large tattoos - on one arm it says Betty Sue framed in a red heart. He smokes small, brown cigarettes which he rolls up himself, and although we are safely indoors in the elegant Hotel Excelsior, he’s wearing sun glasses and doesn’t take them off at any point.
A self-absorbed poseur? Hardly, because that’s not the impression Johnny Depp gives off at all once the conversation has begun. On the contrary, he’s polite and forthcoming, and he listens carefully to the questions posed by the journalist, and makes an obvious effort to respond precisely and sincerely.
He speaks in a subdued voice and occasionally smiles in an almost apologetic way which seems to indicate that he’s not entirely satisfied with his own formulations.
That he’s a serious actor is clearly indicated by his unusual career. Since his break-through in Tim Burton’s "Edward Scissorhands" from 1990, the handsome actor with the dreamy charisma has gone to great lengths to avoid glamorous Hollywood roles and instead took parts in two other movies by the eccentric Tim Burton, "Ed Wood" and "Sleepy Hollow", as well as, works like Lasse Hallström’s "What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?", Jim Jarmusch’s "Dead Man", Mike Newell’s "Donnie Brasco" and Ted Demme’s "Blow".

The Hero Smokes Opium
At present, we are at Lido during the Venice Film Festival on the occasion of Johnny Depp’s role as police inspector Fred Abberline, who in 1880s Victorian London tries to catch the mysterious killer, Jack The Ripper, in the brothers Allen and Albert Hughes’ new film "From Hell". Typically for Johnny Depp, Abberline is no conventional hero - he exudes melancholy, smokes opium and expresses himself in common terms, so it seems obvious to ask:
Inspector Abberline speaks in a cockney accent, so can we presume that he comes from a humble social background and therefore has a better understanding than his colleagues for the prostitutes who fear Jack The Ripper?
"Yes, he speaks cockney or some sort of South London dialect, but originally he was actually supposed to have a Dorset dialect", Johnny Depp explains. "But that dialect turned out to be very difficult - and very rustic! - so now we rightfully have to assume that he grew up in poor circumstances and that his dialect makes his surroundings look upon him as a second class citizen whom you can get rid of if you so desire.
As a kid I saw a documentary on TV about Jack The Ripper, and since then I have been fascinated by the character and acquired several books about him. Among other things, his crimes fostered the rise of the tabloid press in London, and that’s certainly interesting. In the film we would like to make the audience believe that Abberline himself might be identical with Jack The Ripper and commits the murders in an opium stupor, and that aspect made the role a lot of fun to play. I have to admit that I like these kinds of Gothic stories. I have probably watched "Dracula" one too many times, and I have always been attracted to the dark elements of existence."

Play A Bit Unusually
But as the cocaine dealer, George Jung, you played a completely different type of character. "Certainly! And to begin with, I simply didn’t believe that the story in "Blow" could be true. But then I went to visit the real George Jung who is in a prison in New York State, and sucked inspiration from him like a sponge. He was very open and giving, and I agreed to play him in the same way that I pick all my roles - that is when I believe I can do something a little bit different with a part instead of the usual approach, play it in a bit unusual way. Maybe. Oh yes, I also get offers to play in big budget Hollywood productions, and I have nothing against that, I just haven’t - yet - felt a desire to be in this type of film. I’m not capable of playing a part with the single motive that the movie must be a commercial success because it goes against my nature. I simply can’t be in purely commercial movies - but never say never, and who knows, maybe I’ll sell my soul tomorrow!"
What exactly is your next movie?
"It’s directed by Robert Rodriguez, and I’m playing a CIA agent in Mexico. It’ll be quite a lot of fun, I think. And if Tim Burton should call one day and ask if I want to be in his new movie, then I’ll say yes. I’m very proud of having been in three of Tim’s movies, and I’m very happy about "Ed Wood", because it bothers me that the real Ed Wood was dubbed the worst director of all times after his death. To be sure, his movies didn’t reach a large audience and wasn’t everyone’s taste, but in reality they are very interesting."
You have said in a TV interview that it’s shocking to realize that women in some parts of the world are still treated as badly as the prostitutes in "From Hell".
"I mean that, absolutely. Such things as the degradation of women and racism and the conflict in Northern Ireland are shocking and can only be the result of ignorance. On the other hand, I have experienced that becoming a father has changed my life completely after years marked by total confusion and self-destruction. It’s really fantastic."

Then a PR woman from the Fox company interrupts and says that the calculated time for our interview has run out. Johnny Depp stubs his brown cigarette, gets up with the suspenders bopping up and down on his butt, smiles and says: "See you guys".