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What makes the MTV Movie Awards worth watching? Johnny Depp, of course. He won several gold popcorn trophies and used that old Carol Burnett trick of tugging on his earlobe to send a secret greeting to his family. And by the way, who invited Tom Cruise to the MTV Awards? And why? He looks oddly out of place - like an accountant in that V-neck sweater.

Johnny Depp LOVES a challenge. We were flabbergasted to learn that Johnny really hopes to play Michael Jackson when a movie is made of the bizarre singer's life. Actually if you picture Johnny's "Edward Scissorhands" character, it DOES seem plausible. Depp probably could pull off playing Michael after Thriller - when he started turning white - and Johnny DOES have a tiny nose. Michael should be flattered at the prospect.

Johnny Depp, now starring (above) as Dillinger in Michael Mann's "Public Enemies," has never been noted for his clean living, but it seems he has evolved. Recently he worked in Vancouver and his list of requests was very revealing. No hard liquor, no rolling papers. Johnny asked for a treadmill, weights, and a stability ball for his suite. He wanted his refrigerator stocked with blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, and soy milk. As far as diet is concerned, Johnny asked for thoroughly cooked chicken breast, tuna packed in water, and hard boiled eggs. No wonder he looks years younger than his 44 years.

Photo Credit: Splash News

Our nomination for hottest couple on Oscar night is Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis. They're conservative here, but both look like they can dress themselves without the help of a stylist.

Believe it or not, this is one of the photos that Rolling Stone DIDN'T use in their cover story on Johnny Depp in the January 28 issue. We think this rejected photo deserves a second look - so here you are.

Last year we were hearing all sorts of gossip about a Freddie Mercury bio movie that Robert DeNiro's Tribeca Productions was set to produce. Freddie, the fabulously flamboyant lead singer of Queen who wrote most of their hits, died of AIDS in 1991. He was a fascinating rockstar with a propensity for spandex. Few people realized that he was an Indian born in Zanzibar who idolized Jimi Hendrix and Liza Minnelli. (Click here to watch him perform.) Johnny Depp was frontrunner to play Freddie in the movie and Sacha Baron Cohen was supposedly under consideration. Last we heard the script was being reworked. Who do you think should play the legendary Freddie Mercury?

The eccentric threesome: Johnny Depp and Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter dressed up for the Sweeney Todd premier in London. Helena just gave birth to her second child with Tim, and her asymmetrical Vivienne Westwood dress did a good job of disguising her figure. Of course, we absolutely love Johnny's vintage tweed suit- it looks like it's from the late forties- early fifties. Tim always looks like an absent-minded professor.

Photo Credit: Buzz Foto

Johnny Depp paid a surprise visit to The Viper Room this weekend. Johnny originally opened the club with a guy named Vincent Fox and in the 90's it was considered a den of drug dealers - especially after the death of River Phoenix on the sidewalk outside.) It WAS a fun place to see bands however. Eventually Fox sued Johnny for money he claimed was owed him and Johnny moved to France. It was about that time that Fox "disappeared" and was never seen again. Johnny settled the lawsuit with Fox's daughter and she got the club. Apparently there are no hard feelings if Johnny's still welcome there.

Above pictured are two good reasons to see Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd. Any movie featuring both Johnny Depp and Sacha Baron Cohen (as rival barbers) is more than worth the price of admission.

We've seen way too many photos of Paris or Lindsay or Britney or Hayden shopping, so it's a nice change to see two unexpected guys shopping together. Johnny Depp and Tim Burton went to the Forbidden Planet store in London looking for gifts for their kids. Johnny walked out with an Ugly Betty doll and some Star Wars toys.

We've finally zeroed in on what makes Johnny Depp so incredibly HOT - besides his obvious good looks. It's his ability to accessorize without looking like he's trying too hard. He always had a knack for unique embellishment - hats and glasses were his thing for awhile. But since he moved to France he's cut loose and added a proliferation of jewelry, chains and scarves. He doesn't sport designer labels - in fact everything looks beat up and distressed and accumulated "by chance." Note the wallet chains, the monacle around his neck and the artfully twisted scarf. This is a man who wouldn't be caught dead in ironed jeans.

Photo Credit: Gary Lewis/Bauer-Griffin

Since we NEVER get tired of looking at Johnny Depp we decided to share this vintage photo of Johnny and his then-girlfriend Winona Ryder at The Golden Globes around 1991. They had just costarred in Edward Scissorhands and were THE hot couple at that time. It was a serious romance - at least for Johnny. That's when Depp got his "Winona Forever" tattoo, that was later altered to "Wino Forever." We wonder if Winona ever regrets breaking Johnny's heart.

Allow us to introduce Johnny Depp's stand-in and double for the Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. His name is Barnett O'Hara and did HE get lucky. Texas born Barnett auditioned for a role as a pirate in the movie but when the producers saw him they immediately hired him as a double for Johnny. Besides being similar looking and the same size as Depp, Barnett is a perfect hand match for Johnny. Whenever they had a closeup of Johnny's character Jack Sparrow holding something in his hand, Barnett put on Johnny's rings and jewelry and did the shot. He also did a lot of distance shots and back of head shots. When Barnett wasn't appearing as Jack Sparrow, he was another pirate on deck so he's in a lot of the movie. Barnett was totally flattered to even be remotely compared to Johnny, but we think he's really cute as himself.

Johnny Depp has always held out when it comes to doing those lucrative Japanese advertising campaigns that many celebrities LOVE collecting big paychecks for. But he caved in recently and did a big ad campaign for Kiddy Land - a chain of upscale toy stores. Johnny's Pirates of the Caribbean movies have made him a huge favorite with children and the fact that he has two of his own, softened him up. Gigantic billboards of Depp are now featured in all the stores.

Photo Credit: Neill Schutzer/Ramey

We could just kick ourselves for not going to Musso & Frank's for lunch Tuesday. Hollywood's oldest restaurant attracts a lot of showbiz types, but it's not much of a celebrity hangout. Obviously when it IS, the star watching of the highest calibre. Johnny Depp is happily flashing a paper doll that a fan gave him. How cool is that distressed leather jacket?

A tale of two actors: Johnny Depp and a friend went to the Vivoli Italian restaurant on Sunset awhile back and ordered two dinners - around $50 worth of food - to go. "He couldn't have been nicer. He chatted with all the waiters and was friendly to everyone. " Johnny REALLY impressed his server when he tipped him $50. Weeks later Keanu Reeves walked into the restaurant with the same companion that Johnny'd been with, and THEY ordered two meals to go. "Keanu was polite but he kept to himself - he wasn't as sociable as Johnny." And the funny thing is, Keanu walked out without tipping AT ALL!

Redondo Beach was up for grabs last week when Pirates of the Caribbean lowered their anchor there to film scenes for Pirates III. Actually the location boat was out in the ocean but the beach town was loaded with equipment trucks, huge trailers, and looky-loos. Everybody wanted a glimpse of Johnny Depp. And they got one. Each night after filming wrapped, Johnny showed up in the parking lot of Captain Kidd's fish restaurant where he posed for endless pictures with children and signed autographs. A restaurant employee was amazed "He was SO nice to everyone and spent hours with his fans." No sign of Orlando Bloom.

Due to popular demand, we are happy to present a cavalcade of Johnny Depp fashions. It is appearances such as these that made Johnny a fashion icon, adored by women and admired by men everywhere. Dudes seeking to emulate Johnny's courageous fashion impact should note that he favors, not Armani, - but high quality vintage or retro styled clothing - often gabardine. He accessorizes lavishly and his signature hats are fedoras from the forties. Johnny gets his two tone wing tip shoes at LA's Remix ($150,) and he has been known to dye the white section pink or turquoise depending on the occasion. We think he gets better every year.

For years Johnny Depp has been raving about how much he loves living in France and raising his family there. Suddenly the Pirates of the Caribbean hunk says he's planning to relocate that same family to a private island he bought in the Caribbean (where else?) two years ago. Has he become disillusioned with France? In a way, he has. He loves everything but the tax system. Since his Pirate movies have hit blockbuster status, Johnny has moved into a catastrophic new tax bracket. Socialist France gobbles up a gigantic portion of incomes such as his, so Johnny is prudently packing up his family and moving to the Caribbean where taxes are MUCH less devastating. Whether they like it or not.

A Pirates of the Caribbean setsider reveals that costars Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom are complete opposites: "Johnny - the SUPERSTAR- arrived at work every day without fanfare and personally greeted everyone. Very approachable. With Orlando it was always a major scene - like Eddie Murphy arriving on the set. An entourage of twenty surrounded the actor and big bodyguards protected him (from WHOM?) Orlando's assistant was always hovering with TWO cellphones - one for Orlando's girlfriend (Kate Bosworth) and the other for business calls. " Johnny was down to earth and hung out with the cast and crew between shots. Orlando was aloof and whisked away to his dressing room. Everybody loved Johnny, but Orlando was in his own world. " Imagine what Orlando will be like if he ever gets to be as big a star as Johnny!

One more reason to love Keith Richards : He hates to wear anything that looks new or stylish or "designery." His wardrober for the Rolling Stones current tour, Robert Carey-Williams , says "You can't just present a new shirt on a hanger for Keith to wear. Richards would much rather discover a garment wadded up in a corner. Sometimes you have to leave clothes about, as opposed to offering them to him."
Equally eccentric Johnny Depp has long admired Richards' style and talent for wearing scarves. Depp modelled the look of his camp character in "Pirates of the Caribbean" after Keith. They've become such close friends that Keith likes to have the actor break in his shoes before he puts them on. And Johnny doesn't mind scuffing up the shoes for his buddy at least they're not too small.