Actors such as Russell Crow, Ryan Gosling, and Scarlett Johansson all have successful careers in film, but what you may not know is that the aforementioned A-listers are also musicians. Think that’s cool? Well, Johnny Depp doesn’t. In fact, the actor thinks the idea of it is “sickening.”
Depp spoke to members of the media in Berlin Sunday, at the world premiere of his latest film Mortdecai, about the idea of actors capitalizing on their fame in order to push their music:
That whole idea for me is a sickening thing; it’s always just made me sick. I’ve been very lucky to play on friends’ records and it’s still going. Music is still part of my life. But you won’t be hearing ‘The Johnny Depp Band.’ That won’t ever exist.
“The kind of luxury now is, anybody with a certain amount of success, if you have a kind of musical being, you can go out and start a band and capitalize on your work in other areas,” he said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Depp, a rather talented musician himself, is no stranger to the music industry and has played guitar in studio for bands Oasis and Marilyn Manson. He has also appeared on stage with musical acts ZZ Top, Alice Cooper, and Aerosmith, among others.
Most recently, Depp surprised a Manson audience on Halloween with a cameo in West Hollywood, playing with the band during its performance of the hit “Beautiful People.”
Despite being an accomplished guitar player, the actor would rather let his work on film speak for him.
“But I hate the idea, ‘come see me play the guitar because you’ve seen me in 12 movies,’” Depp said. “It shouldn’t be (that way). You want the people who are listening to the music to only be interested in the music.”
Hopefully Depp’s comments won’t draw the ire of Mortdecai co-star Gwyneth Paltrow, who also fancies herself a musician. He may find himself on the receiving end of another round of “conscious uncoupling” from the star.
Mortdecai will hit U.S. theaters on Jan. 23.