Despite recent controversies surrounding his personal life, we cannot deny that acting veteran Johnny Depp has fulfilled some of the entertainment industry’s most legendary roles.

The now 61-year-old received a Best Actor accolade at the Golden Globes for his chilling role as ‘demon barber’ Sweeney Todd in Tim Burton’s 2011 thriller.

Johnny Depp has received global acclaim for his legendary acting roles. (Juan Naharro Gimenez/WireImage)
Johnny Depp has received global acclaim for his legendary acting roles. (Juan Naharro Gimenez/WireImage)
He’s bagged an impressive three Academy Award nominations – most notably for his renditions of trouble-causing crook Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise – as well as a BAFTA nomination for his role in Finding Neverland.

Johnny also received Golden Globe nominations for his take on the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, as well as of his quirky rendition of Willy Wonka in 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

In fact, movie critics have often praised the Hollywood superstar for taking on roles that simply couldn’t have been played by any other actor, receiving global notoriety for having made the often complex characters his own.

However, Johnny has revealed that one of his most impressive roles could have gone to another big-name star – none other than Top Gun’s Tom Cruise – who was reportedly in the running to play Edward Scissorhands in Tim Burton’s 1990 gothic classic.

According to People, a new documentary – which focuses on director Tim Burton – explains that there were several stars also considered for the role, including Cruise, Tom Hanks and even Michael Jackson.

In the programme, Johnny can be heard telling the camera he was certain that ‘everyone in Hollywood was after the part’, and that he would not be successful.

And after reading the script, he reportedly told his agent: “Please cancel the meeting; I’m not going.”

Johnny starred alongside Winona Ryder in 1990’s Edward Scissorhands. (Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)

“It was weird because there’s always that b*****d in your skull that goes ‘Come on, man, you’re a TV actor guy’,” Johnny recalled.

Director Burton told press at the time, however, that Cruise was never seriously considered for the role, despite the actor having been reaping the rewards of his recent hit Rain Man when the movie was being cast.

“He certainly wasn’t my ideal, but I talked to him,” he is reported to have explained. “He was interesting, but I think it worked out for the best.”

Tom Cruise was reportedly in the running for the role. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage)

Eventually, Johnny starred alongside Winona Ryder as the iconic artificial humanoid who has scissor blades instead of hands – a role which saw him nominated for his first Golden Globe.

Recalling how he felt when he read the script, Depp said it ‘passed through everything, anything, solid and went to the very core of whatever I am. The writing was beautiful’.

He added: “The character was beautiful. What I suppose [attracted] me emotionally was that Edward was me. It’s exactly what I should be doing.”

Tyla has contacted representatives for Tom Cruise for comment.