With one of the summer's biggest blockbusters, "Pirate's of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest", sailing on its way to release, this week's celebrity spotlight is on Captain Jack Sparrow himself, Johnny Depp.

Name: John Christopher Depp II
DOB: 9th June 1963, Kentucky, USA

Although born in Owensboro, Kentucky, Depp was raised in Florida by parents John Christopher and Betty Sue along with brother, Danny and sisters Christi and Debbie. When Depp was 15, his parents divorced and he subsequently dropped out of high school to pursue his dreams of becoming a rock star. He fronted a series of garage bands including, The Kids, even opening for Iggy Pop on one occasion. In 1983, Depp married make-up artist, Lori Anne Allison and on a visit to L.A, Allison introduced her new husband to then up-coming actor, Nicolas Cage.

Cage told him of an upcoming open audition for a horror film and persuaded him to try it out. After impressing the casting directors with his raw talent, Depp made his film debut in "A Nightmare On Elm Street". But whilst his acting career was taking off, Depp's marriage to Allison fell apart with the couple divorcing in 1986.

In 1987, he landed the part of undercover cop, Tommy Hanson in the popular TV series "21 Jump Street". But it was a collaboration with director Tim Burton in 1990 that shot Depp to worldwide stardom when he portrayed the title role in "Edward Scissorhands". Following the film's success, Depp carved a niche for himself as a somewhat quirky, serious performer who craved a variety of film roles that surprised both critics and audiences. Films like "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" (1993), "Ed Wood" (1994) and "Donnie Brasco" (1997) and in 1999, Depp teamed up again with Burton in the dark tale of "Sleepy Hollow?".

But it wasn't just his acting that was getting the attention.
During his career, Depp was falsely accused of selling drugs at his club, The Viper Room, where his friend and talented, rising actor, River Phoenix died outside due to drug overdose in 1993. In 1994, Depp was arrested for smashing and trashing a New York suite and in 1999; he was arrested in London for fighting with paparazzi outside a restaurant.

His love life was also attracting a lot of attention after a string of failed engagements to Sherilyn Fenn, Dirty Dancing's Jennifer Grey, actress Winona Ryder and supermodel, Kate Moss. But Depp managed to find a lasting love and is currently living with girlfriend and mother of his two children, French singer-actress, Vanessa Paradis. Depp is the first one to admit that having children changed his outlook on life and tamed his once wild ways. Talking about his daughter, Lily-Rose Melody, Depp said, "Anything I've done up till 27 May, 1999 was kind of an illusion, existing without living.

My daughter, the birth of my daughter, gave me life."
And with the arrival of son Jack in 2002, his new role as a father seemed to sway his choice in film roles. In 2003, Depp brilliantly portrayed flamboyant pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow, (who he is quoted as saying is a cross between Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones cartoon character Pepe Le Pew) in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of The Black Pearl. And in 2005 played Willie Wonka in Tim Burton's screen adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". After receiving Oscar nominations for his performance as Jack Sparrow and as author J.M. Barrie in the critically acclaimed "Finding Neverland", Depp said, "Sure, I find it touching, honestly, but awards are not as important to me as when I meet a 10-year-old kid who says, 'I love Captain Jack Sparrow' ... That's real magic for me."

Not only is Depp set to reprise his popular role as Jack Sparrow this summer with the release of Pirate's of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, but there is a third and final instalment of the pirate saga, Pirate's of the Caribbean: World's End, which is being filmed back to back and set to be released next year.

But it looks like Depp has not finished with the dark, meaty roles just yet after announcing he is to play butchering barber Benjamin Barker a.k.a Sweeney Todd in 2008.