Veteran character actor Brian Cox appears to be the kind of man who doesn’t mince words. His memoir should be a great success. Putting the Rabbit in a HatIt was a pleasant read. The book’s excerpts are making the rounds in advance of publication. We learn more about the roles Cox rejected over his Hollywood career. “so overrated”Johnny Depp performing in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
The excerpt published by describes his career. GQ, Brian Cox says he was up for the role of Governor Swann in Disney’s blockbuster franchise, but went on to say:
Although it would have been lucrative, it was also the most difficult part of the film. I also would have had to do it again and again for films after films, which would have meant missing out on all the nice things I have done.
Part of me gets why Brian Cox felt that way about the Pirates of the CaribbeanWhen he was offered the franchise. The film was then only known as “being based on a theme park ride,” and Cox likely didn’t know how much acting would be allowed by the series. But if you ask franchise veterans Geoffrey Rush and Bill Nighy, they’d probably tell you that they chewed more scenery than normal as director Gore Verbinski gave the cast members plenty of rope.
Johnny Depp did win an Oscar nomination for his performance as Capt. Jack Sparrow in The First Pirates of the Caribbean, but his previous film roles didn’t impress Cox much. He wrote these words in his memoir.
Another thing with Pirates of the Caribbean is that it’s very much the ‘Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow”‘ show, and Depp, personable though I’m sure he is, is so overblown, so overrated. I mean, Edward Scissorhands. Let’s face it, if you come on with hands like that and pale, scarred-face make-up, you don’t have to do anything. And he didn’t. And subsequently, he’s done even less. People love him. They loved him. They don’t love him so much these days, of course. If Johnny Depp went for Jack Sparrow now, they’d give it to Brendan Gleeson.
Zing! Zing! Succession. He earned an Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for that part back in 2020, and the consensus on the series is that it keeps getting better, led in part by Cox’s performance. Johnny Depp isn’t enjoying the same levels of success. His off-screen accusations seem to have stopped Johnny Depp from acting. He was even removed from the Amazing Beastsfranchise (he has been replaced by Mads Mikelsen in recent years).
Personally, I’m glad Brian Cox didn’t sign up for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. It could have interfered in his contributions to the Bourne series, Deadwood, and his stellar turn in David Fincher’s serial-killer masterpiece, Zodiac. Please give me all of these instead.