Johnny Depp Promised He Wouldn’t Reprise Captain Jack Sparrow Role But Donned The Regalia For Terminally Ill Child

Aug 03, 2023

"Pirates of the Caribbean" star Johnny Depp is one of Hollywood's iconic actors. Depp's interpretation of his roles is so spot on that he leaves many asking for more. He has appeared in several of director Tim Burton's films throughout his illustrious career, including "Edward Scissorhands," "Sleepy Hollow," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," and "Alice in Wonderland." Depp is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous movie stars and was listed as one of the highest-paid actors by Forbes in 2012. 

Depp started his career as a musician. He started playing the guitar as a teenager and actively sought to pursue a career as a musician. However, his dreams of pursuing music met a temporary hold when his first wife, Lori Ann Allison, introduced him to Nicolas Cage. Depp's meeting with Cage kicked off his acting career. He debuted in 1984 with the horror film "A Nightmare on Elm Street." 

The actor became a household name with his success on the television series "21 Jump Street." Some of the star's other notable films include "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," "Finding Neverland," and "Donnie Brasco." Although Depp has starred in several notable movie projects, he is most famous for his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" film series.

Many celebrities avoid exposure in public and prefer to stay out of sight whenever possible. Sometimes, however, stars do things outside their public entertainment careers that show us how great they are as people. One such instance is seen on a YouTube video posted by “Kraken The Box" on Dec. 13, 2022, when Depp reprised his role as Captain Jack Sparrow to fulfill the wishes of an 11-year-old child, Kori Stovell, who was suffering from a terminal illness and later passed away.

Besides his popularity in the movie industry, Depp is famous for his personal relationships and a legal battle that set his career back by a few years. The actor has been married twice and was romantically linked to Sherilyn Fenn, Winona Ryder, Kate Moss, and Vanessa Paradis, with whom he shares a daughter Lily-Rose. 

Depp’s first marriage was to makeup artist Lori Anne Allison in 1983. The former couple was married for two years until 1985, when they separated and eventually divorced, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the end of their marriage. After the marriage, Depp was involved in several high-profile relationships, but it wasn’t until 2015 that he took the path of marriage for the second time. 

On Feb. 3, 2015, Depp and Amber Heard tied the knot in a civil marriage ceremony, and the former couple remained married until May 2016, when Heard filed for divorce and obtained a restraining order against the order. Heard alleged that she had suffered years of domestic abuse under the actor. 

In November 2020, Depp lost a libel lawsuit against News Group Newspapers, which had referred to him as a “wife beater” in a publication. Following the ruling, Depp’s career experienced some setbacks, which cost him his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney’s "Pirates of the Caribbean” film series, and Grindelwald in Warner Bros’ “Fantastic Beasts” franchise. 

In 2019, Depp sued Heard for defamation over a December 2018 op-ed published in The Washington Post. After his victory at the trials of the defamation case, the actor regained the life he had lost as a result of the allegations. In June 2023, one year after his victory at the court, the actor ditched Disney and promised never to reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow for unceremoniously dumping him.

Whether old or young, Depp shares a special bond with his fans across age groups, and his interaction with Stovell was a testament to this bond. Stovell, who was terminally ill and born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, was an ardent fan of Depp’s character in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series. 

After deciding not to undergo a third procedure, the 11-year-old who had undergone two heart transplants shared his wish to meet with the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star, and his wishes were made a reality with the help of Make-a-Wish.

Not only did Depp honor Stovell’s wishes, but he also joined in the video conference call and donned his Captain Jack Sparrow outfit, giving the 11-year-old an all-around experience of his beloved character.

Before the video call with Stovell, Depp sent a video with a special message for the preteen, talking in a typical drunken Captain Jack Sparrow manner. Depp said some kind words to Stovell and promised to subscribe to his YouTube channel, “Kraken The Box.”

“So, Captain Kori, terribly sorry I missed out on this. Meant to say it, forgot to say it, didn’t say it, gonna say it now. Saying it, I’ll say it,” he said and prompted others to follow the boy's channel.

Unfortunately, a report from People stated that Stovell passed away after two years of being in palliative care following two unsuccessful surgical procedures. After his passing, Depp took to his Instagram to pay tribute to the young “Pirates of The Caribbean” fan. The actor posted a black and white picture of Stovell with a heartfelt tribute in honor of his memory.

“Sail on my fellow captain!! You honored us with your life. You humbled and amazed us with the courage and strength to be able to smile through it all,” Depp reportedly wrote on his Instagram Stories.

What do you think of Johnny Depp showing up in his Captain Jack Sparrow regalia for Kori Stovell? What do you think of his tribute to Kori Stovell? Let us know — and pass this article on to friends, family members, and Johnny Depp fans.