Tom Cruise nearly got Edward Scissorhands role, claims Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp has revealed that several high-profile figures were considered for the iconic role of Edward Scissorhands in Tim Burton’s 1990 film.

• READ MORE: The Best (And Worst) Tim Burton Films

According to People magazine, Depp and Burton have reflected on their early collaborations in a new untitled docuseries about the filmmaker. The series debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City last night (Monday June 10).

In the film, Depp recalled securing the job of the title role in Edward Scissorhands, sharing that Burton had been contacted by various actors hoping to play the protagonist, including Tom Hanks and Michael Jackson.

But one actor came closer than most, with the Pirates Of The Caribbean star revealing that Tom Cruise, who was around 28 when the film came out, “was not far away from actually playing Edward Scissorhands”.

Depp further confirmed the surprising revelation, saying: “True story”.

Depp, who is just over a year older than Cruise, has also shared that he “had to fight it” to secure the iconic role (starring opposite Winona Ryder), after being “pigeonholed” by his role in the late 1980s television series 21 Jump Street.

On making the move away from the series, Depp said: “In all honesty, I was probably doing my best for probably the last two years to get fired… I knew how important the choice to make Cry-Baby with John Waters was, which gave me the opportunity to make fun of this arena I’d been placed in.”

But in speaking about Burton’s Edward Scissorhands, Depp recalled the emotional reaction he had to reading the script, saying it “passed through everything, anything, solid and went to the very core of whatever I am”.

He continued: “The writing was beautiful. The character was beautiful. What I suppose [attracted] me emotionally was that Edward was me. It’s exactly what I should be doing.”

However, Depp revealed that the wider interest in the role from other actors made him initially reluctant to meet with Burton, saying: “He’s never going to cast me when everyone in Hollywood is after the part.”

He then shared how he asked his agent to cancel the meeting, to which she replied: “Are you fucking nuts?”

Eventually Depp “finally gave in” and met with Burton, marking the first of several collaborations together. The two would go on to create Corpse Bride, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and more.

In other news, Depp has been reportedly cast to play Satan opposite Jeff Bridges’ God in a new Terry Gilliam movie.

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