Tim Burton and Johnny Depp

GONE are the days when Tim Burton had to fight to cast Johnny Depp. For "Edward Scissorhands," the studio wanted Tom Cruise; for "Sleepy Hollow" the name in the frame was Brad Pitt. The turning point came when "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" went mega, earning Depp not only an Oscar nomination for lead actor but also a place on the A list. When it came time for Burton to cast Willy Wonka in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," the studio had a suggestion -- what did he think of Johnny Depp?

February 20, 2008