The bizarre British sketch show that gave Johnny Depp his favourite role of all time
Johnny Depp has played iconic characters in some of the most treasured movies to have made their way to cinemas over the last 30 years. He has captained pirate ships, owned chocolate factories and produced some of the most captivating performances along the way. Depp’s career has been positively littered with incredible experiences. Yet, surprisingly, none of them provided him with more joy than an appearance on a cult British sketch show.
To be a Hollywood giant, you usually have to have a good handle on ‘the game’, having to fit into a certain mould of cinematic trope and correctly align your career with it. Depp has always been a maverick. He often attempts to give off the impression that he’d prefer to operate on the periphery rather than as a mainstay inside the Hollywood clique, but that isn’t necessarily his reality. Depp brings a larger-than-life zest to whatever role he’s cast in, making him stand out from the crowd.
Known for his unpredictable delivery, the actor embraces his quirky personality at every opportunity, seeking out projects that mirror his slightly unconventional edge. He finds comfort in breaking traditional conventions, and no sketch show exemplified this better than The Fast Show.
Created by Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson, the series was known for its rapid-fire sketches, quirky characters, and irreverent humour, earning it a dedicated following and widespread acclaim. It was unlike anything that had come before in the genre. No sketch lasted for more than three minutes, some only lasted mere seconds, and often, characters didn’t even have names.
The virabtn comedy half hour was a typification of British eccentricity, both utilising the stereotypes of society and extrapolating them to hilarious degrees. Without the weird and wonderful creation, comedy in Britain simply wouldn’t look the same today. It goes without saying, The Fast Show helped set a precedent for the next generation of sketch programmes and broke down barriers forever.
Whitehouse and Higson’s invention was undoubtedly revolutionary, even if only in the small world of sketch comedy. After establishing something of a cult following, The Fast Show was built around its central ensemble featuring Simon Day, Caroline Aherne, Arabella Weir and Mark Williams. However, it was the final episode, aptly titled ‘Last Ever’, that drew in huge viewing figures, given that it featured self-anointed superfan Depp, who portrayed a customer of ‘The Suit You Tailors’.
However, even with all this legacy and near-regal acclaim, it seems odd that Depp would consider it such a privilege. Even though it was only a minor role, Depp later commented, “It was absolutely one of my proudest achievements. No question. It was one of my favourite things to have been on the last Fast Show.”
During an appearance on The One Show in 2020, Whitehouse elaborated on their relationship and said, “He was a big fan of The Fast Show. He was quite obsessed with it”. It might seem odd for a Hollywood leading man to become obsessed with such a quintessentially British show, but Depp’s fascination with the stranger side of life has been apparent in all his work.
He continued, “I do remember I did work with him on something. And unless he saw me coming and quickly stuck it on, when I went round to see him in his trailer, there it was – The Fast Show was on.”
Meanwhile, speaking to The Guardian in 2015, Whitehouse revealed that Depp went as far as declaring him “the finest actor of all time”. It was clearly a compliment the actor took to his heart and enjoyed wheeling out at most opportunities. Though he did so with his tongue in c heek.
In truth, the comedian disagreed: “But that’s a bit silly, isn’t it – how does he know? I recently did a little cameo in a film of his, Through the Looking Glass, and he said, ‘Hey man, I’m going to look after you, make sure you’re OK’. Never heard from him again. So Mr Depp can piss off,” he joked.
A cameo on a niche British comedy series doesn’t come with the same titanic pressure as steering the ship on a Hollywood blockbuster. A place where everybody is looking at you to lead by example, and hundreds depend on you. When he turned up on the set of The Fast Show, Depp could act with the shackles off, and it’s clear from his liberated performance that he loved every second of it.
