But I did not. What I missed is the role that Johnny Depp wants to take on. And as he is wont to do, this role steps far and way from the norm of Hollywood. Johnny Depp wants to do a biopic, as a woman.
Let me clarify, Depp does not want to play a cross-dresser, or a transvestive, or even someone gay. No when I say he wants to take on the role of a woman, I mean just that. So throw away your thoughts of Dressed To Kill, or To Wong Foo Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar.
The woman in question is Carol Channing. She is older (88), so most of us may not be familiar with her. She is an accomplished singer and actress. She has won 3 Tony Awards, A Golden Globe Award, and an Oscar Award nomination. So when I said accomplished I was not kidding. Her best known work is from her roles on stage, which may be part of why some of us are unfamiliar with her body of work.
Channing is a surprising choice for another reason. One that reflects the social attitudes of America, up to present day. Revealed in her 2002 autobiography for the first time was the fact that she is ¼ African American. It comes from her father’s side of the family, and was only revealed to her when she went to college – because her mother didn’t want her shocked if she had a Black baby.
This was a secret Channing found so important to hide from Hollywood and Broadway she didn’t reveal it to anyone until she was 81. That says quite a bit about Hollywood and Broadway, and America in general.
Beyond that, one of her most memorable roles was Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes – her rendition then of Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend is considered classic.
(This is a good performance, but imagine when she did this some 40 years earlier)
But she has also starred in far more recent work that I and my readers may be more familiar with. That includes being a voice actor in Chip N Dale’s Rescue Rangers, Family Guy. Also appearances on dozens of television shows including Sesame Street the new Addams Family, The Love Boat, The Drew Carey Show, Space Ghost . The Muppet Show, Magnum PI, Coast to Coast, The Flip Wilson Show and even an episode of Playboy After Dark (in 1969). Plus films including the 1985 version of Alice in Wonderland and voice work as recent as Thumbelina in 1994.
She is iconic enough to have been impersonated by dozens of male comedians, including Robin Williams, and Ryan Stiles of Whose Line Is It Anyway?
This is the woman that Johhny Depp wants to portray. And Channing herself thinks he can pull it off.
“I imagine when or if Johnny should portray me, he will succeed," the Broadway legend told the Advocate. "Because a true artist, such as himself, is one who loves his or her creation and therefore represents their honest view of that which they are creating. I think he is a gifted performer and I would be very proud, as well as interested, in seeing what his vision of me would be.”
I too think he could do it. Not that I think he has the look of a young Channing, but because he is just that damn good. Plus makeup these days is fantastic. Add to the fact that he kind of prepared for such a role from his work in Ed Wood.
Johnny Depp as a woman. It’s just so far out there that the more I think about it, the more I think it’s perfect for him.
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