Depp: There's a Dillinger in me

MANILA, Philippines - Johnny Depp plays John Dillinger in Public Enemies, which opens tomorrow in Metro Manila. Here are excerpts from an interview with him.

Do you like gangster movies?

Oh yes! I grew up watching those great Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney films like Angels with Dirty Faces.

What attracts you about that period in history?

I like the style, the fashion and the way men and women dressed and expressed their individuality. It was an Art Deco period.

In your eyes, who was John Dillinger?

He was an outlaw in the same style and tradition as Jesse James; who, incidentally, was his hero as a child. And, as he had 10 years of his life stolen from him in prison, I think he made a conscious decision when he got out to do what he was going to do because the clock was ticking and he knew that — being in his line of work — he only had so much time.

Did he have some kind of a death wish?

I don’t think so, because I truly believe that if he hadn’t been sold out by Anna Sage he would have had another hit or two and gone to Mexico or South America to wait for Billie Frechette.

Their love story is key in Public Enemies.

It’s everything, and has much more to do with who he was than the fact that he robbed banks. Dillinger was always longing for that special woman in his life and Billie became his primary focus. They were perfect for each other.

What did they have in common?

They were both uninvited strangers that came towards each other like a couple of comets.

So, was John Dillinger a public enemy or a public hero?

I don’t think he was an enemy of the public, because the banks were; I think he was the public hero.

What do you admire about him?

I admire him for being a common man who stood up against the establishment and for what he believed in.

How did you prepare for this role?

I just wanted to get inside Dillinger’s head and try to find that spark. I read everything I could on the guy and saw the footage that exists — even though there is no audio of him — but what clicked for me was the moment I realized he was born and raised not far from where I grew up. I think that was the first time I heard him talk, because he was not that different to my grandfather, who in the 1930s kind of also took the ball and ran with it. All those ingredients helped me find John Dillinger.

 Do you have some of Dillinger in you?

Yes, and I think we all do in a way because we are capable of putting ourselves in harm’s way for what we truly believe in.

What did you learn with this shoot?

I certainly learned a lot about John Dillinger. But, above all, and having spent so much time in all these different towns and places on location, I experienced the warmth of being surrounded by many people of all ages that were incredibly respectful with what we were doing. Feeling welcomed by them and shaking their hands left the strongest impression on me.