Johnny Depp has proven his acting skills over the years, showing that he is a true chameleon on the screen. However, Depp also wanted to cancel a meeting for what turned out to be his breakout role.

Johnny Depp iconic roles

In footage from Tara Wood’s upcoming untitled documentary about director Tim Burton, it was revealed that Johnny Depp wanted to cancel a meeting for 1990’s Edward Scissorhands, People reports. The film, where Depp plays the titular character, turned out to be his breakout role on the big screen, and the first time he collaborated with Burton. Later, the two became a magical pairing at the box office. It’s also quoted as one of Johnny Depp’s best roles.

In the interview for the documentary, Depp admits that several famous actors were up for the leading role of Edward. Some of them included Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, and even Michael Jackson. Depp notes that Cruise “was not far away from actually playing Edward Scissorhands — true story.” He was so intimidated by the other candidates that he didn’t think he’d get the part. “He’s never going to cast me when everyone in Hollywood is after the part,” Depp recalled.

“Tim’s really juggling because he’s getting hit by his agent, the studio, everybody. So I called my agent after reading the script and said, ‘Please cancel the meeting, I’m not going.’ She said, ‘Are you f—ing nuts?’” Depp continues, “It was weird because there’s always that bastard in your skull that goes ‘Come on, man. You’re a TV actor guy.’ Because at that time it was almost either-or.”

He went on to note that Edward Scissorhands’ script “passed through everything, anything, solid and went to the very core of whatever I am. The writing was beautiful. The character was beautiful. What I suppose [attracted] me emotionally was that Edward was me. It’s exactly what I should be doing.”

Johnny Depp’s Collaboration With Tim Burton Continued for Many Years

Back in the late ’80s and early ’90s, Depp was considered a teen idol. He starred in John Waters’ Cry-Baby, which he claims “was the first solid step in the direction I wanted to go.” As for his role in the series 21 Jump Street, he says, “In all honesty, I was probably doing my best for probably the last two years to get fired… I knew how important the choice to make Cry-Baby with John Waters was, which gave me the opportunity to make fun of this arena I’d been placed in.”

Depp and Burton’s connection was obvious from the first movie. Burton is famous for casting the same actors in multiple projects, and, aside from Depp, he worked with Winona Ryder, former wife Helena Bonham-Carter, Sir Christopher Lee, Michael Gough, Danny DeVito, and more. With Burton’s unique, dark vision, and Depp’s talent to disappear into a character completely, the two of them collaborated on numerous projects, including live-action films and animation.

After 1990’s Edward Scissorhands, Depp and Burton reunited in 1994’s Ed Wood, and 1999’s Sleepy Hollow. Their collaboration spilled into the 2000s as well, with films like 2007’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and the 2005 animation Corpse Bride. Their most recent films together were 2010’s Alice in Wonderland and 2012’s Dark Shadows.