Burton & Depp Guest on
BBC America Talk Show
On tonight's episode (5 March 2010), director Tim Burton and his favorite actor Johnny Depp talk with BBC America talk-show host Jonathan Ross about their successful 20-year film career together, as well as their new movie Alice in Wonderland, one of seven movie collaboration. Burton jokes their relationship works because Depp has never seen any of their films together. Depp comments, “I prefer to walk away with the experience” - but admits he might go see Alice in Wonderland.
Burton decided to recreate the classic fable because, “If this story was written now, it would be mind-blowing even today...it’s been such an inspiration for musicians and artists...[Alice in Wonderland] is in the subconscious of everyone.” And Depp reveals an inner look into his Mad Hatter character – “someone who is touched by madness but confused by the madness as well...we were trying to turn him into some kind of human mood ring.”
Depp says before the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, he wasn’t a popular choice for leading man, and notes, “they used to call me box office poison,” but he confirms there will be a fourth Pirates movie. Burton and Depp said they’ll continue to work together including a new project, Dark Shadows, which Depp calls a “gothic soap opera.”
Also joining Ross is Andrew Lloyd Webber, who discusses his prostate cancer, “I had an infection and if they hadn’t found the infection they wouldn’t have found the cancer – and luckily I’m in the clear...I’m back.” Webber completed a sequel to Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies, which chronicles the story of the phantom and Christine ten years later. Webber describes the project as “twenty years in the making.”
Webber's also looking to cast the next Dorothy in his musical theatre competition show Over the Rainbow. He jokes he's looking for the next Toto, too. Also in the episode, Webber performs the title song Love Never Dies with Sierra Boggess.
Singer Sade returns to the stage in one of her first television appearances in ten years, and performs Solider of Love from her new album.
On next week's, the March 12, 2010 episode, Ross welcomes Lady Gaga, True Blood star Stephen Moyer and English actor and singer Michael Ball.
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross airs Fridays, 10 p.m. ET/PT on BBC AMERICA
