Johnny Depp has a "period of depression" after making a movie.
Johnny Depp
The 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star insists he doesn't take acting "seriously" but he enjoys being in character because he's a "shy person" who feels more comfortable with a different identity to hide behind.
He explained: "The concept of being a 'serious actor' is the biggest oxymoron going. I still can't take acting seriously, but a bit of method is a useful thing.
"I'll never be the guy who plays Henry VIII and grabs a giant turkey leg while ignoring the packet of Doritos on the table, but I do jump in and out of character.
"At the end of a production there is always a period of depression, because I'm a shy person in life and in character I can be anything."
The 55-year-old actor is currently touring with his band, The Hollywood Vampires, which also features Alice Cooper and Joe Perry and he admits his acting success is still a "mystery" to him as he always wanted to be a musician.
He told The Times newspaper: "I never left music. I never stopped playing. But I gained a certain amount of success in another field, which is still a mystery to me.
"When I first went to Los Angeles with my band we drove across country in a rented van, breaking down along the way, searching for the almighty record deal. It was my life.
"Then the acting thing started to happen, the band broke up, and I got a job [on '21 Jump Street'] where they were going to pay me $1,200 a week. The first thing I did was call my mom and say, 'Hey, you can quit your job.' "
The 'Black Mass' actor admitted his movie career has made having a normal life difficult at times.
He said: "I don't want to be one of those whiny, complaining actors ... S**t, I don't even know if I am an actor, I never made that decision ... But the acting life makes the normal life harder."
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