Johnny Depp really loves getting back into character as the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise’s Captain Jack Sparrow. Especially when it comes to entertaining his youngest fans. He put on his black eyeliner, long wig and iconic costume to do a virtual visit with the kids at Brisbane’s Queensland Children’s Hospital in Australia on June 19. The 57-year-old has visited in person in the past, but this time around he did it remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnny still gave it 150 percent, with Jack’s slurry accent and mannerisms when speaking to the thrilled patients.
Johnny had visited the hospital in person as Captain Jack in 2015, while the actor was in Australia shooting the fifth Pirates movie, Dead Men Tell No Tales. At the top of the Juiced TV event, video was shown of him hugging kids and posing for photographs with the patients and staff. This time around, Johnny as Jack explained to everyone in the remote visit that, “It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been there and I miss it and I wanted to say hello.”
Johnny/Jack spent time talking to three pre-selected patients, Gabby, Asha and Thomas, answering their questions, playing games and making them laugh. The joy shined through and Johnny never broke character. Not even when there were some audio glitches in the feed, as a “first mate” was called in to help fix them.
Johnny sat in an antique chair with a dark, pirate-ship looking interior behind him. He gushed about the children, “These three beautiful young people I’ve spoken with this evening and having heard from people who sent videos in…is one of the finest and most beautiful experiences that I’ve ever experienced and that is because of all of your commitment to this project and to taking care of one another and to helping out when times are curious and confusing.”
Johnny/Jack raved that, “It’s a wonderful facility. I’m with all of you and I send you all my love, and all my irreverence and all my ignorance because it’s fun to be ignorant and irreverent sometimes. And you deserve to be if you feel that.” He also shared that, ‘”I’m with you always. I love you. Thank you for sticking with me through all these very strange years.” Johnny then earnestly told the staff, “You guys work — all the nurses, the healthcare workers, the doctors — you work like absolute heroes.” To them, Johnny is the hero for all of the joy he brings to the hospital’s patients!