Johnny Depp and Tim Burton collaborated together for seven films, beginning with Johnny Depp's breakout role in Edward Scissorhands (1990), opposite Winona Ryder and Vincent Price. Depp's next movie with Burton was the 1994 film, Ed Wood. Once producer Scott Rudin said, "Basically Johnny Depp is playing Tim Burton in all his movies," though Burton disapproved of this comment. Depp, however agrees with Rudin's statement. According to Johnny Depp, Edward Scissorhands represented Tim Burton's inability to communicate as a teenager. Ed Wood reflected Burton's relationship with Vincent Price.
Johnny Depp's next movie his third according to the collaboration with Burton was the dark Sleepy Hollow (1999) in the role of Ichabod Crane, opposite Christina Ricci. Sleepy Hollow showcased Ichabod's feelings that reflected Tim Burton's battle with the Hollywood studio system. For this performance, Johnny Depp took inspiration from Angela Lansbury, Roddy McDowall and Basil Rathbone. Johnny Depp once said, "I always thought of Ichabod as a very delicate, fragile person who was maybe a little too in touch with his feminine side, like a frightened little girl."
Johnny Depp after 1999 again worked with Tim Burton in 2005 when he had his two releases the first of which was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In this movies Johnny Depp played the character's hair on Anna Wintour. The film was a box office success and received positive critical reaction, although Gene Wilder, who played Willy Wonka in the 1971 film, initially opposed this version. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was that released in July was followed in September by Corpse Bride, for which Johnny Depp gave voice to the character Victor Van Dort.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in 2007 was Johnny and Tim's next release and the sixth one according to the collaboration. It won Johnny Depp his second major award, the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy as well as a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. For this movie Johnny Depp worked very hard.
Tim Burton first gave him an original cast recording of the 1979 stage musical in 2000. Although Johnny Depp was not a fan of the genre but he grew to like the tale's musical treatment. He cited Peter Lorre in Mad Love (1935) as his main influence for the role, and practiced the songs his character would have to perform while filming Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Though Johnny Depp had performed in musical groups, he was initially unsure that he would be able to sustain Stephen Sondheim's lyrics.
Then Depp recorded demos of himself in West Hollywood, working with Bruce Witkin to shape his vocals without a qualified voice coach. The next and the last one of Depp-Burton collaboration is the upcoming Alice in Wonderland (2010). In this movie Depp will play the Mad Hatter, alongside long time collaborator, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway and Alan Rickman.
