STYLE 101 ICON: JOHNNY DEPP
He’s played a cop (justice), a pirate, a twisted barber, an asexual chocolatier, a debauched Earl of Rochester, a Mad Hatter and an overconfident bank robber in his latest film, Public Enemies, where he brings 1930s gangster and fugitive John Dillinger back to life.
He doesn’t like to be tagged as quirky or as a rebel yet Johnny Depp has come to signify a distinct style, from his original berets to his scruffy army boots.
He is the ultimate definition of being “his own man”, he’s the master of intrigue and the ultimate purveyor of old world charm, who just manages to woo everyone his own brand of sex appeal; a chemistry that’s stirred up when a man is comfortable with himself and who he is.
His friends describe him as having a depth of character and a genuinely, open, compassionate bearing and he’s said to have an insatiable curiosity about everything and the personalities he plays are his own special mix of riotous imagination and off world whimsy.
There’s definitely something terribly attractive, old fashioned and old world about Johnny. I can imagine him in days gone by, as a knight; fighting wars, slaying dragons and rescuing damsels. Yet there’s an even wilder streak in him. I also sense unbridled adventure and a thirst for the high seas, which is why I think he played John Sparrow so well; he was believable as the rakish, offbeat pirate with not a care in the world. Interestingly John Sparrow’s inner journey centered on his struggle with what it takes to be a moral person.
Johnny Depp, whether this is true or not in his own life, symbolises a return to good old fashioned codes of male conduct – unbridled wildness mixed in with a code of chivalry and a realisation that seeking to be a man of great character and respect is a never ending goal and that although all your goals may not be reached in this lifetime the quality of striving towards them ennobles the male spirit.
Depp is deeply committed to honoring the characters he plays, especially those who actually lived, like Sir J. M. Barrie in Finding Neverland, and the iconic Dillinger. “There’s a certain responsibility playing a guy, even Dillinger,” Depp says. “You want to do him right, ya know. You don’t want to let him down. He may be watching. So I don’t want to water down the integrity of the person I’m playing. I want to find its essence.”*
His characters are somewhat drawn to justice (albeit a warped sort), loyalty, courage and nobility. They’re not weak, they’re witty, they’re not bullies, they’re just, and they choose to fight, rather than run away from their destiny.
Here at Style101forMen, we like Johnny’s search for integrity and we love his clothes sense. From culture to culture and throughout history, men have upheld versions of justice, defense, and we believe these intangible virtues should be strongly encouraged and woven into every truly stylish man’s DNA.
COMING SOON is STYLE POWER, the ultimate guide on what a real man with style should look like and more importantly how much his personal values define his walk through life. Keep visiting. It’s going to be worth the wait!
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*Excerpts from Douglas Brinkley’s portrait on Johnny Depp, ‘Johnny Depp’s Great Escape’, Vanity Fair July 2009.
About the Author
I’m an outed Michael Jackson fan, I love cookies & cream ice cream, I hunt for bargain Sass & Bide sales and I produce TVCs and digital media campaigns to pay the bills – and I’ve had alot of fun pulling together crazy-hot concept ideas for clients like Fairfax Media, Gloria Jeans Coffees, Toyota, Lexus, Optus, NineMSN, E*Trade and most recently HP, Virgin, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Advil.I love my life!
’m also crazy about the digital revolution. And in particular the underground movement of digital content spawners spearheading what I call “the silent army of organic architects”.
More on this on later. And ’nuff about me.
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