Jesus, we saw this Johnny Depp quote today at Vulture and thought, “Christ, again??” Depp is obsessed with Carol Channing.
“My dream role would be to play music legend Carol Channing in a biopic of her life. I love her, I really do. She’s amazing. With all the digital technology these days, I could probably pull it off.” Depp told the U.K. Mirror recently.
The singer and actress with the crazy, oft-imitated gravely voice was known for her work in Broadway musicals like, “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, “Hello, Dolly!” (obviously she didn’t make the cut for the film versions). On the screen she’s known for playing Jackie Gleason’s bohemian wife in the LSD-soaked Otto Preminger bizarro comedy “Skidoo” and she earned an Oscar-nominated for her turn in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” with Julie Andrews as screwball heiress. She was also such an odd figure she was given an cameo in the 1968 “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” film for some reason. Some will also remember her big, brassy TV specials from the ’60s that would showcase her large personality with singing, dancing, revue, etc. Her voice and personality are also often satirized by the likes of Robin Williams and the sort.
Anywho, we swear this is like the fourth or fifth time on different press cycles we’ve heard Johnny Depp say this, usually apropos of nothing too.
On June 1, 2009, press cycle for “Public Enemies,” he says again, “I would like to play Carol Channing next. I do like Carol Channing, I really do.”
During the press cycle for “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” many had noted that Depp’s creepy, Queenie and perverted performance had shades of Carol Channing and despite many thinking he was channeling Micheal Jackson, he essentially admitted his Channing obsession in TV interviews (sorry, no link from our brains). Blog post going as far back as 2004 also point out the similarities (as did many publications like the Chicago SunTimes).
In the 2005 Golden Globes, Depp “joked” about wanting to portray Carol Channing at some point.
Looking around Google for quotes today is mostly pointless as all you come up with is a shit-ton of quotes from this month, but we feel like the guy’s been quietly campaigning for this role for years now (seriously, we wish we had the quote evidence, but we bet if you looked hard enough you would find quotes from every film press cycle he’s been on since 2004).
Disney? He made you guys extra rich with the “Pirates” series, how about giving the guy a break and letting live out his fantasy already?
Here’s some Carol Channing from the 1985 TV movie of “Alice in Wonderland.” Depp seems to love hammy, preening characters of late (“Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Charlie and The Chocolate Factory,” “Once Upon a Time in Mexico”), so this is probably perfect. Hollywood take note: this is a more interesting idea than anything you’ve thought of in years.