14 DAY TRIAL // Johnny Depp has always been adamant that his privacy should be respected at all times. When it became clear to him that such a thing would not happen just because he wanted it to, the star used his money to “purchase” for himself and his family a new life, away from the prying eye of the camera. At the same time, he also acquired a 45-acre private Bahamian island, complete with six beaches – for the first time ever, Depp is allowing the media on Little Hall’s Pond Cay.
Douglas Brinkley of Vanity Fair was granted an all-access pass on the private island, as well as permission to ask whatever question he wanted, a request he did not fail to take on. Johnny Depp, while always an extraordinary person to be around, is also known as one of the desperately reclusive stars of all times, for which reason actually being invited to his home is more than anyone could ever dream of, let alone expect to happen.
During the walk on the beach with Depp as guide, the actor also cast all modesty and secrecy aside and, for once, openly talked about his life as a star, his family and what it’s like to be able to buy a slice of heaven and, at the same time, the guarantee that no one would ever bother you if you don’t want to. At the end of the day, the Vanity Fair cover interview reveals, this is all that matters for the actor: while he’s aware money can’t buy happiness, he also knows that being rich enables you to buy a yacht with which you can sail to happiness, just like in his case. Privacy and living a relatively normal life away from the spotlight are all that Depp wants for him, partner Vanessa Paradis and their children.
“I don’t think I’d ever seen any place so pure and beautiful. You can feel your pulse rate drop about 20 beats. It’s instant freedom. And that rare beast – simplicity – can be had. And a little morsel of anonymity… Whenever I was getting frustrated about being ‘novelty boy’ and making movies, I told myself, Calm down. I can come down here and disappear. I spent the Christmas season here with Vanessa and the kids. You can feed hot dogs to the nurse sharks in the Exumas – but it’s best to not swim when doing it.” Depp says about what it’s like to be the owner of such a “rough gem,” as he calls the private island.
There are, of course, other activities that also bring peace and calm in Depp’s life, and painting is one of them. When he’s not spending time with his family, Johnny is shooting movies and, when he’s not doing that either, he’s painting, a hobby he picked up a while ago, and which he can’t seem to part with. If anything, the Vanity Fair interview shows that, no matter how you look at it, Johnny Depp is an artist to the core – in more ways than one.
“I started painting people I admire, like Kerouac, Bob Dylan, Nelson Algren, Marlon Brando, Patti Smith, my girl, my kids. I painted Hunter a couple of times. Keith Richards. What I love to do is paint people’s faces, y’know, their eyes. Because you want to find that emotion, see what’s going on behind their eyes.” the actor explains for the magazine.