Daniel Depp Is Johnny Depp's Older Brother Whom the Actor Is Proud Of
While Johhny Depp has made a name for himself in the film industry, his brother, Daniel Depp, has found success as an author. The actor revealed he's been exposed to his brother's literary talent most of his life, and being proud of him was a "monumental understatement."
Daniel Depp has proven he is a man of many trades after dabbling in the film industry before setting his sights on becoming an author. Johnny Depp's older half-brother revealed his reading and writing habits developed as a result of their family's constant moving.
Living in 75 homes and yearning for close friends also led to the brothers' close relationship. Not only was Johnny Depp his older siblings' biggest fan, but the two also went into business together.
Johnny Depp at the "Crock of Gold: A few Rounds with Shane McGowan" premiere during the 16th Zurich Film Festival on October 2, 2020, in Zurich, Switzerland. | Source: Getty Images
Daniel Depp Had an Unstable Childhood
By the time Daniel was 4, his parents had divorced, and his mother, Betty, went from being a single parent of two to marrying Johnny's biological father, John Christopher Depp.
Daniel was never close to his biological dad, and after John adopted Daniel and his younger sister, he and Betty welcomed Johnny and their daughter Christie. John was a civil engineer but struggled to find work, which saw his family constantly relocating. Daniel shared:
"We were this family of chronic malcontents. I worked out once that I lived in 75 different homes. It was pretty awful. You learn to be resourceful, but it's isolating. It certainly contributed to my writing and reading habits. You wind up being by yourself, and you miss the intimacy of close friends."
Johnny Depp and his mother at the premiere of "Nick of Time" on November 20, 1995, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images
Daniel Depp Spent a Decade Teaching before Venturing into Film and Writing
After studying Classics at the Univerity of Kentucky, Daniel spent ten years teaching English Literature and History to middle schoolers. The author then had a change of heart and ventured into the film industry.
His little brother was his biggest supporter while writing "Loser's Town."
In the late 1990s, he wrote and produced "The Brave," a film co-starring his famous younger brother. The siblings joined forces again when they co-ran Scaramanga, a Hollywood production company. Eventually, Daniel put pen to paper once more, writing his first novel, and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star could not have been more proud.
Johnny Depp performing at The OVO Hydro on July 12, 2023, in Glasgow, Scotland. | Source: Getty Images
Johnny Depp Was His Brother's Biggest Supporter When the Author Penned His First Novel
In 2010, Simon & Schuster published the first of Daniel's three novels, "Loser's Town." The novel told the story of a stuntman turned private investigator navigating the not-so-glamorous side of Hollywood and thoroughly impressed Johhny, to say the least. The actor revealed:
"To say that I am proud is a monumental understatement. I've been proud for a long, long time, having been well aware of my brother's great talent for the majority of my life. That he and his work are finally being recognized by readers and serious book-heads alike is, of course, spectacular, but not all that surprising."
Daniel Depp at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on August 15, 2009, in Scotland. | Source: Getty Images
During an interview, Daniel revealed his little brother was his biggest supporter while writing "Loser's Town." And while Daniel knew people would chalk up his book deal to him being Johnny Depp's older half-brother, he believed people were entitled to their opinions.
"Oh yeah, of course they were going to say that. That's fine. It's going to happen. My perspective is, you know, read the book, then if you don't like it, you're entitled to your opinion," Daniel said.
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