Johnny Depp: Hollywood Rebel (USA TODAY Lifeline Biographies)

Johnny Depp was born in Owensboro, Kentucy on June 9, 1963. His family never managed to stay in any one place very long and as a result he "felt more and more isolated from his peers." His teen years were troubled ones and he claimed that he "always felt like a total freak." As his parents fought, he sought an outlet in petty theft and vandalism. One of his more creative outlets led him to an obsession with the guitar which eventually landed him with a band called "Flame" and later with a punk rock band called "Kids." Further family turmoil and divorce fueled his escapist tendencies and he soon found himself on the other side of the country in California with a young wife, Lori Anne Allison. "Kids" was no longer a hot band, but "just another unknown band" in California." The couple fell on hard times and split within two years, but Lori introduced Johnny to someone who would turn his life around . . . Nicolas Coppola, more popularly known as Nicolas Cage.Johnny knew little to nothing about acting and indeed his first roles showed his lack of enthusiasm and talent. After being cast in the memorable slasher movie, "Nightmare on Elm Street," the "acting bug" hit him. His "acting career seemed to be going nowhere fast," but his determination to succeed didn't deter him from trying. He landed a small role in Oliver Stone's blockbuster, "Platoon," and then became Tom Hanson in "21 Jump Street," a role that made him famous. The role and the fact that he became a teen idol was discouraging, to say nothing that his love life was a continuing whirlwind of women who entered his life and were out of it in the blink of an eye. He hated playing Tom Hanson, but how could he escape the drudgery? Johnny "wanted to be known as a serious, versatile actor," and soon he would show the world that he had much more going for him.Johnny was anxious to land the leading role in "Edward Scissorhands," but was uncertain if director Tim Burton even noticed him. Depp was the only man that Burton considered and Johnny got the role. His love life continued to waver, but this role would launch him to stardom. Critic Roger Ebert wondered aloud to the public asking, "will he still be playing kooks when he's 40?" Johnny did seem to be continually accepting "quirky roles" in "quirky films," but in reality "His only motivation was to make the movies that excited him." And the offers began to roll in with roles that made him a "big name in Hollywood." His first attempt at directing and starring in a film, "The Brave," drew disappointing, highly critical reviews. The cruelty and viciousness of tasteless reviewers hurt, but soon he would meet someone that would soothe his soul. Vanessa Paradis would soon enter his life and she was the someone he'd been waiting for. You'll read about how Johnny became a family man, how he sailed to the top in blockbuster films, how he studied for his roles, his awards, how he became "one of Hollywood's top leading men," you'll read about the grave illness of his daughter, the sudden death of a co-star, and you'll learn many other interesting facets of the life of this fascinating actor.This is a mesmerizing look into the life of John "Johnny" Christopher Depp, the Hollywood Rebel. This is not the type of personalized biography in which we hear Johnny himself speak to us about the intimate details of his life, but one in which we learn about the basic facts of his life and career. The ups and downs and triumphs are laid out for the young reader to get to learn more about their favorite actor. His phenomenal success in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" blockbusters will interest the young reader, but the older movies such as "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," will be a draw for the older one. I enjoyed this well rounded portrait of Johnny Depp as it showed him for who he really is: a man of his convictions, passionate, rebellious, yet a loving partner and father. The writing style was quite lively and will be of high interest to the young reader. The book is generously illustrated with photographs and numerous informative sidebars and period USA Today articles. In the back of the book is an index, a glossary, a timeline, Depp's filmography (1984-2010), source notes, a selected bibliography, and additional recommended book and website resources to explore.This book courtesy of the publisher.