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E! Entertainer of the Year 2003 transcript - premiered 12/15/03

...there was one star who swashbuckled his way across movie screens in style to capture the title of Entertainer of the Year. E!'s Entertainer of the Year Award for 2003 goes to the actor's actor, the reluctant star, Johnny Depp. The handsome renegade plundered box-office treaure; starring in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

JD: "People responded to it. People went out to see the thing, you know, to the theatres and that, of course, you know, makes you feel great."

And Johnny was up to his deliciously off-beat ways in Once Upon a Time In Mexico. Starring in two hits is even more impressive considering Depp's ample appeal hasn't always led to big bucks at the box-office. In fact, of the 20 films Depp has starred in, only a 1999 movie, Sleepy Hollow, cracked the 100 million dollar mark.

JD: "You do the work and you want people to see it; but, um while I'm doing the work, the result doesn't matter at all to me. Ultimately, I don't, I don't care whether the film is - you know - some big giant box-office bonanza and I don't care if its a complete flop. To me, when a film gets made and it's actually finished it's a success. They're all a success in their own way."

But Johnny's never been accused of chasing mainstream roles or even stardom itself. In fact, the actor practically ran away from it. Since 1998, Johnny's lived in the south of France with singer/actress Vanessa paradis.

JD: "Any of the occupational hazards I don't mind for me, you know. I mean, I, I, you know, I signed up for it so that's what I got. That's all fine. But for my kids and everything like that, you know; in terms of just trying to be like you know, a regular dad, a regular guy kind of thing; it can be pretty trying."

But both the producer and the director of Pirates of the Caribbean knew Depp was their man to play Captain Jack Sparrow.

Jerry Bruckheimer: "I thought he was essential to the success of the film because of his quirky body of work. You knew he was gonna create a character that was, that was so special and so much fun because that's what he's done in all his movies. So you expect him to do it and of course, he delivered for us in spades.

Gore Verbinski: "I've always wanted to work with him and ah, he's, he's a pirate, you know, he's just, he's the ultimate pirate.

[clip of Captain Jack Sparrow: "Not sure I deserved that"

JD: "And in terms of the character, you know, playing the character; all I knew was that I felt very good in that skin, you know? I, I felt very good as Captain Jack Sparrow. I, I knew him. I, I, I felt very close to him, so for me, it was a ball. Everyday was like, you know, was a ball.

David Adelson: "Was Keith Richards indeed a role model for Captain Jack Sparrow?"

JD: "Well, Keith Richards, for me is a, is a great role model in life. You know, just, ah... he's one of my favorite guitar players. He's one of the greatest, ah minds.... greatest songwriter. When I was going to ....do the research for Captain Jack. One of the guys - you know he just kept popping inoto my mind - Keith, you know. Cause I mean Keith is sort of a pirate, he really is. So Keith, the idea of Keith really; not, not like an imitation of Keith, but Keith sort of -what he stands for , what he represents became the basis, became the foundation for the Captain.

Orlando Bloom: "He's so courageous as an actor. He really just... he's not afraid to make a complete fool of himself, you know? And that takes a lot of courage.

Disney executives were nervous about Johnny's take on Captain Jack but audiences ate it up. Pirates raked in more than 300 million dollars of box-office booty in the US making it the second biggest hit of 2003. Despite being a movie star for well over a decade, Depp still takes fame with a pirate-like wink and a smile.

[at the premiere of POTC]:

"Man, there are people crying because you're walking by, that's got to be weird."

JD: "Maybe I smell bad."

"No, you're all right."

JD: "Yeah, it's all right? I don't know, I don't know. I don't think they're crying because of me, they're just, well its a big night in Disneyland, isn't it?

Yes 2003 was a very good year for Johnny Depp and he capped it off with the E! Entertainer of the Year award.

David Adelson (presenting the award): On behalf of the Entertainment Television it's truly a pleasure to present you with the Entertainer of the Year 2003.

JD: "My God! Wow! Why? (laughs, looks at award). That's very, very obtuse. Wow. Well that's really sweet, thank you.

DA: "Congratulations"

JD: "Bless you man, That's very very sweet. Well, clearly the kids won't be playing with it. That's great man, thank you.

2004 looks just as bright for the 40 year old actor. Johnny will be seen as the creator of Peter Pan in J.M. Barrie's Neverland. Depp also reportedly beat out Jim Carrey for the plum title role in the remake of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Well that's E!'s look back at the top entertainers of 2003 and we'll let Johnny Depp have the final word.

JD: "I want my, my kids and my grandkids, someday, to be able to go : Yeah, you know, Pops held it together and did the right thing and he didn't stray from the path and he didn't, you know, sell out and go for the bitg dough early on or anything like that. You know, I think I would be very very ah ah proud if they feel that...yeah so, man, Integrity is --you got to have that man, they strip you of everything else, you got to have that."