John Christopher Depp II (born
June 9, 1963) is an American actor, producer and musician. He is the
recipient of multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and
a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for three Academy
Awards and two BAFTAs.
John Christopher Depp II was
born on June 9, 1963, in Owensboro, Kentucky, the youngest of four
children of waitress Betty Sue Palmer (née Wells) and civil engineer
John Christopher Depp. Depp’s family moved frequently during his childhood,
eventually settling in Miramar, Florida, in 1970. His parents
divorced in 1978 when he was 15, and his mother later married Robert
Palmer, whom Depp has called “an inspiration”.
Depp is of primarily English
descent, with some French, German, and Irish ancestry. His surname comes from a
French Huguenot immigrant, Pierre Dieppe, who settled in Virginia around
1700. In interviews in 2002 and 2011, Depp claimed to have Native American
ancestry, saying: “I guess I have some Native American somewhere down the
line. My great-grandmother was quite a bit of Native American. She grew
up Cherokee or maybe Creek Indian. Makes sense in terms of
coming from Kentucky, which is rife with Cherokee and Creek Indian”. Depp’s
claims came under scrutiny when Indian Country Today wrote that Depp
had never inquired about his heritage or been recognized as a member of
the Cherokee Nation.
This led to criticism from the
Native American community, as Depp has no documented Native ancestry, and
Native community leaders consider him “a non-Indian”. Depp’s
choice to portray Tonto, a Native American character, in The Lone Ranger was
criticized, along with his choice to name his rock band “Tonto’s
Giant Nuts”. During the promotion for The Lone Ranger, Depp was
formally adopted as an honorary son by LaDonna Harris, a member of
the Comanche Nation, making him an honorary member of her family but not a
member of any tribe.
Depp’s Comanche name given at
the adoption was “Mah Woo May”, which means shape shifter. Critical
response to his claims from the Native community increased after this, including
satirical portrayals of Depp by Native comedians. An ad featuring Depp and
Native American imagery, by Dior for the fragrance
“Sauvage”, was pulled in 2019 after being accused of cultural
appropriation and racism.
