"He's really hot in a really (messed) up way," fan Stephanie Brehmer, 25, said.
The Oshkosh woman and her sister, Beth Mueller, chatted recently at the Otter Street Fisheree, unabashedly gushing about the 43-year-old actor and sharing excitement over the possibility that he and fellow heartthrob Christian Bale soon could be visiting Oshkosh if it's confirmed that Universal Pictures' "Public Enemies" will shoot scenes in downtown Oshkosh in the spring.
"He's so skinny now, though. But he acclimates to every character really well," Brehmer said, trying to put a finger on just where Depp's star power stems from.
Mueller, 24, interjected simply, "He's just hot. And it's probably the fact that he can do completely different movies — crazy parts. He's the only actor that can do that."
Johnny Depp fever has been building in Wisconsin since January, when word first leaked out that production scout Robert Medcraft had toured the First National Bank Building, Grand Opera House and the Oshkosh Northwestern building as potential sites for filming bank robbery scenes for "Public Enemies." The city and the nation will know in a few weeks whether Oshkosh will be one of several Wisconsin spots to see film crews lining the streets.
Julie Schaus said if she ever got the chance to meet Depp face to face, the Fond du Lac resident and enthusiastic Depp fan probably would just blush, giggle and be too shy to take his picture. Though she wouldn't call herself a would-be stalker, Schaus says she plasters pictures of the actor around her desk at work.
"I get giddy. I don't know, I act like a little kid, and my friends get a good kick out of it," she said. "I keep telling everyone, 'This is my year,' because the chances of him coming anywhere around here to film a movie are just rare."
Where Depp may be seen as maniacally unconventional, in real life and onscreen, it's only served to fuel his appeal with diehard fans like Schaus and those of the teenage- to middle-age persuasion, local film experts say.
UW-Oshkosh radio, TV and film professor Doug Heil said people have always been drawn to actors who embody that provocative, bad-boy persona.
"Johnny Depp's appeal also draws from the quality of being 'dangerous' … on multiple levels," Heil said. "He gravitates toward dangerous filmmakers — people like Tim Burton, Jim Jarmusch, Terry Gilliam and Robert Rodriguez — who take chances with their work."
The actor's also known for boldly tackling non-prescriptive roles like Willy Wonka, Captain Jack and the recent Sweeney Todd.
"He opts for characters burdened with internal conflict, where baggage and demons bottled up inside waylay the goals being pursued," Heil said. "Most of us have our own baggage we're sorting through, so his characters resonate with us."
Merlaine Angwall, a 10-year UW-Oshkosh acting and directing professor, said it isn't just about mysterious good looks, though that helps in Hollywood.
"Certain stars or actors, they get to be great because they really are talented and do possess an ability to act — unlike Paris Hilton who's famous for no reason," she said. "People like them because they believe them in roles they play."
Depp and Bale instantly give "Public Enemies" a certain recognition, likely meaning they could bring paparazzi, national media and obsessed fans to wherever filming goes down.
"You're going to have the crazy ones come out, clearly you will," Schaus said. "But I just think it's a great opportunity, very exciting for Wisconsin and extremely exciting for me."
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle confirmed last month to The Associated Press that NBC Universal committed to Wisconsin as a scene for parts of the film.
It's the first major production to come to Wisconsin since tax incentives for the film industry took effect Jan. 1.
At a glance
Johnny Depp
Birthday: John Christopher Depp was born June 9, 1963, in Owensboro, Kent.
Early starts: Depp debuted onscreen in "A Nightmare on Elm Street" as Glen Lantz (1984).
Star power: Depp received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999, won 27 awards and has been nominated for three Oscars.
Depp in action: "Cry-Baby" and "Edward Scissorhands" (1990), "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" (1993), "Sleepy Hallow" (1999), "Blow" (2001), "Secret Window" and "The Libertine" (2004), "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy (2006, 2007), "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (2007). "
Christian Bale
Birthday: Christian Charles Philip Bale was born Jan. 30, 1974, in Wales.
Early starts: Bale got his start opposite British comedian Rowan Atkinson on London's West End stage (1987).
Star power: Bale has eight wins and 15 nominations from the likes of MTV Movie and Screen Actors Guild awards.
Bale in action: "Empire of the Sun" (1987), "Newsies" (1992), "Little Women" (1994), "American Psycho" (2000), "Harsh Times" (2005), "Batman Begins" (2005), "Rescue Dawn" and "The Prestige" (2006) and "3:10 to Yuma" (2007).Source: The Internet Movie Database (www.IMDb.com)
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