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TV WEEK (Australia)
January 15-21, 2005
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PANNING OUT
Drift into Finding Neverland's enchanting world
of fairytales, magic - and pranks!
Story by Sigourney Gray
ABOUT THE FILM:
In this tale of fantasy, Johnny plays Scottish playwright J.M. Barrie, the real-life author of Peter Pan, who desperately needs some inspiration to write a new play. During a walk in London's Kensington Park, he befriends Sylvia Davies (Kate Winslet), a recently widowed mother, and her four sons, and together they embark on a magical journey full of youthful joy. Playing cowboys and Indians with the boys sparks James's creativity and as a result, the play Peter Pan is born. It stuns actors and audience alike, but will they understand the tale? Only believers of magic will...
According to Kate Winslet, Johnny Depp was a bit of a prankster when they were on the set of Finding Neverland, which hits cinemas this week.
The 41-year-old actor - nominated for a Golden Globe for his portrayal of J.M. Barrie in the film - was getting well and truly into the childlike spirit of the movie. He played practical jokes on the cast using his "fart machine".
"There was this one scene in which we were having dinner together," Kate told British newspaper The Sun. "It was a difficult scene, but Johnny did one of the most triumphant things Ive ever seen an actor do: he held a fart machine under the table!"
Kate, who plays widower Sylvia Davies, added that the cast didn't know it was a joke, but his gag made the scene work.
"The first take was priceless. The boys didn't want to say, 'Somebody has farted!' But then it happened again and we all burst out laughing."
Apparently it's not the only fart joke Johnny has played on set. Penelope Cruz had a similar story from when they were filming Blow back in 2001.
Johnny has confessed to using the fart machine in other situations, too. "That kind of thing is particularly funny on an airplane. It's fun in an elevator, too," he laughs.
It was this very quality that made the director, Marc Forster, approach Johnny for the lead role.
"I was just so glad that Johnny accepted," Marc says. "I needed someone who was able to act like a child. There aren't that many actors who can do that."
From the SNAPS section:
Johnny Depp surprised cast and crew members on the set of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by having a hissy fit when he couldn't find his iPod. The gadget contains a mix of tracks Johnny plays to get in the right mood for certain scenes. "Johnny freaked out," reveals a witness. "He had the whole set looking for this thing while he frantically searched through his trailer." He finally found the prized possession in his car. "Johnny grabbed the thing like it was his lost child."