That was my first reaction, too. I like Depp, and really admire his ability to get himself fully into a role, but it seems to me that there are quite a lot of very good Native American actors now who would better fit the bill. A little Googling turned up the fact that Depp claims Cherokee ancestry through his maternal grandfather. Still...
Depending on the pick for the Ranger, Depp may turn the picture into one about Tonto--he knows how to steal scenes. Even so, if they follow the old TV series very closely, it may be hard for him to steal scenes with lines like, "Him dead, Kemosabe."
Of course it depends on the take that they intend to use on the character and the story. Apparently Seth Rogen is set to play the Lone Ranger's great-nephew The Green Hornet in a new movie which obviously means that that one isn't exactly going to be a serious examination of the character. Casting Depp in "The Lone Ranger" might be okay - he's a very good actor - but as Tonto? Jay Silverheels, who spent a lot of his time in Hollywood establishing the Indian Actors Workshop to promote native actors so, I doubt that he'd be pleased that his most famous role was going to be taken by someone like Depp even if he does claim some measure of Cherokee ancestry.
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That was my first reaction, too. I like Depp, and really admire his ability to get himself fully into a role, but it seems to me that there are quite a lot of very good Native American actors now who would better fit the bill. A little Googling turned up the fact that Depp claims Cherokee ancestry through his maternal grandfather. Still...
Depending on the pick for the Ranger, Depp may turn the picture into one about Tonto--he knows how to steal scenes. Even so, if they follow the old TV series very closely, it may be hard for him to steal scenes with lines like, "Him dead, Kemosabe."
Bring back Michael Horse!
I hear Klinton Spilsbury is available.
Of course it depends on the take that they intend to use on the character and the story. Apparently Seth Rogen is set to play the Lone Ranger's great-nephew The Green Hornet in a new movie which obviously means that that one isn't exactly going to be a serious examination of the character. Casting Depp in "The Lone Ranger" might be okay - he's a very good actor - but as Tonto? Jay Silverheels, who spent a lot of his time in Hollywood establishing the Indian Actors Workshop to promote native actors so, I doubt that he'd be pleased that his most famous role was going to be taken by someone like Depp even if he does claim some measure of Cherokee ancestry.
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