Brian Cox put Johnny Depp on blast in his new memoir Putting the Rabbit in the Hat.
He also revealed why he turned down a lucrative role in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, which features Depp in the lead role.
The Scottish actor is known for his roles in movies such as Mel Gibson’s Braveheart and the movie Nuremberg in which he received nominations for a Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award.
Cox currently stars in critically-acclaimed HBO series Succession, for which he won Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series.
The 75-year-old is one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood, with credits in blockbusters such as The Bourne Supremacy, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Churchill.
Brian Cox says Johnny Depp is overrated
In an excerpt of Cox’s memoir published by GQ, the actor said he is not impressed by Johnny Depp’s career.
“Depp, personable though I’m sure he is, is so overblown, so overrated. I mean, Edward Scissorhands. Let’s face it, if you come on with hands like that and pale, scarred-face make-up, you don’t have to do anything. And he didn’t. And subsequently, he’s done even less.”
Brian Cox is referred to Depp’s lead role in Tim Burton’s 1990 film, one of the actor’s early successful film roles.
“But people love him. Or they did love him. They don’t love him so much these days, of course,” he continued in the memoir, adding: “If Johnny Depp went for Jack Sparrow now, they’d give it to Brendan Gleeson.”
The actor is likely referencing Depp’s ongoing court battle with his ex-wife Amber Heard.
In 2020, a UK judge ruled the actor abused his ex-wife, making the star actor a polarizing figure as many profess his innocence.
Brian Cox explains why he turned down a role in Pirates of the Caribbean
Before bashing Johnny Depp in his new book, Brian Cox revealed why he turned down the role of The Governor in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
“I turned my nose up at the part of the Governor in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, a role that was eventually played by Jonathan Pryce. The guy who directed Pirates was Gore Verbinski, with whom I made The Ring, and he’s a lovely chap but I think I blotted my copybook by turning down the Governor,” he said in the book.
The actor admitted the role would have been lucrative but explains why he passed on it.
“It would have been a money-spinner, but of all the parts in that film, it was the most thankless, plus I would have ended up doing it for film after film and missed out on all the other nice things I’ve done,” he wrote.
Brian Cox also spoke about a role he was offered in Harry Potter, other actors that rubbed him the wrong way and heaped praise on director Spike Lee.
The book Putting the Rabbit in the Hat will be released on January 18, 2022.
Better headline: Brian Cox, desperate to sell copy, tries for a hot take—name dropping and bashing a legend. The sheer hubris, especially since everyone rallied behind Depp after Hollywood supported his abuser.
When this POS can make 3 billion dollar films and create a character that makes the production studio earn upwards of $8 billion then he can talk. But that is never going to happen so he can just crawl back to the bottom of the barrell where he belongs.
Wow, who is this man? Get serious! Johnny Depo is amazing and has performed so many fantastic roles!! You’re not only criticizing the actor but also whoever selected him for each movie he played in. I’m not sure what your problem is with JD but you’re not going to find many that will agree with you. Honestly!