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Interview by Victoria Pandrea (Visual)
Translation by Corinne

“My Family is My Paradise”.

Gala : You’ve been sharing your life with Vanessa Paradis over the last four years : don’t you plan to marry her someday ?

Johnny Depp : Before becoming a dad., I kind of had erase this word from my vocabulary. Now I have changed my mind I guess. Let’s say, if Lilly Rose wants her parents to be married then we’ll get married to please her… But to both of us, having children means a lot more than being married.

Gala : Are you gonna stay and live here in France ?

Johnny Depp : Of course I am. We spend our lives between Los Angeles and Paris. But America is too much of hypocrisy and violence. When I look at what had become the American dream, I just definitively prefer living in France which is a country more civilized and sophisticated.

Gala :What is it with this country you like so much ?

Johnny Depp : Here I can have and live a normal life. When I’m at home in Southern France with my wife and my friends I’m just completely happy. My priority only goes to picking olives, playing “pétanque” (a French hobby which is played with steel ball, typically in the South of France, note from the translator) and having a glass of Pastis (a French liquor also typically from South of France, note from the translator) at 6 PM.

Gala : Is that all ? We can surely say that family life has softened you !

Johnny Depp : Better than this. My daughter Lilly Rose just helped me to get reborn. The very first day she was born it was like I was born again at the same time. The fog I’ve been living in for 25 years just vanished. I can say she and Vanessa gave me my life back.

Gala : How would you describe her ? What kind of daughter is she ?

Johnny Depp : I tell you what she’s only 2 years and half but she surely is already a little woman. The other day it took her something like three quarters of an hour to pick a blue dress... Once she had put it on her, she came to me and asked me : “Dad. This one doesn’t fit me at all…” (laughs).

Gala : Is she already having some creative predispositions like her parents ?

Johnny Depp : Yes indeed. She was only three months old when she first started to draw. At the age of one, she began to paint. But I really hope she won’t become an actress. If she wants it, then I will have to lock her up in a convent ! (laughs). When you’ve been living in such a world you really wish hard your children would never go through all of this. My daughter will be a great writer, a painter. No wait she’s gonna be a president !

Gala : Is there anything you fear ?

Johnny Depp : The whole world is scaring me. When I think about the tragedy of the last September 11th in United States, I really wonder what future will it be for my so young daughter who is so innocent. This is one of the biggest issues we often have Vanessa and I. This concerns us a lot to us.

Gala : What’s Heaven like to you ?

Johnny Depp : My family is my paradise ! What really cheers me up is to know that they are all doing fine. This is the reason why we always travel all together. Today what I enjoy the most are simple things such as : my family, a nice glass of wine and a cigarette.