How old was Johnny Depp in ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street?’

Once upon a time, Johnny Depp was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.

Long before his legal disputes with ex Amber Heard damaged our opinions of the actor, Depp was turning down offers left and right. Just a few years ago he was a staple of two massive franchises, but his time in the Fantastic Beasts franchise — and likely the Pirates of the Carribean franchise — is officially behind him. Depp’s reputation took a major hit following the legal proceedings, after additional information reached the public and soured opinions on the actor.

Depp still has plenty of fans, don’t get me wrong. He was easily the crowd favorite during the protracted defamation suit, and his popularity may have even spiked during its most publicized moments. But in the weeks and months following its conclusion, his popularity took a major hit, and left many Depp fans with the impression that his time in Hollywood has come to an end.

Even so, the man had a good run. He’s been a staple of the film world for more than three decades now, and his resume stretches for pages. His very first film appearance came about in 1984, with the release of the first film in the enduringly popular Nightmare on Elm Street franchise — the rest, as they say, is history.

How old was Johnny Depp in Nightmare on Elm Street

The first Nightmare on Elm Street came out in 1984, during the era when slasher films were just getting their start. He starred alongside a number of other big names — at the time, at least — but he’s easily the star with the most staying power. Former favorites like Heather Langenkamp and Ronee Blakley still found plenty of popularity in their separate circles, but Depp was a household name by 25.

That’s thanks, in large part, to his appearance in Nightmare on Elm Street when he was only 21 years old. He looks even younger in the flick, likely because we all now know him as a mature man, and because he was playing a teenager in the 1984 release. That baby-faced Depp was actually just branching into his 20s, and would go on to star in a huge number of Hollywood heavy-hitters. Within another half decade he’d starred in Platoon, Cry-Baby, Edward Scissorhands, and, soon after, Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare. His career barely slowed down for three decades following his big debut — at least, until the debacle with Heard slowed things to a stand still.

Even if his career never recovers from the revelations around that highly-publicized trial, Depp earned his place in the media landscape. He’ll live forever through roles like Captain Jack Sparrow and, of course, Glen Lantz.