Actress Rosie Perez has opened up about how Johnny Depp helped her early on in her career. Perez, who worked with Depp on the TV drama 21 Jump Street back in 1990, credited the Pirates of the Caribbean star with boosting her confidence and inspiring her to take action against her then-agent.
According to Perez, Depp whispered in her ear during their first scene together that she was “too good” for the part, and later invited her to his trailer to introduce her to his girlfriend at the time, Winona Ryder.
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After chatting with Perez, Depp told her that he would spread the word about her talent, and encouraged her to pursue “the good stuff.” Perez explained that Depp’s words gave her the courage to fire her agent, who had suggested that she get a nose job and dye her hair blonde in order to secure more work.
Depp played Officer Thomas “Tom” Hanson Jr on 21 Jump Street for four seasons, while Perez made a memorable cameo as the girlfriend of an illiterate drug dealer. It’s heartening to hear about stars supporting each other, especially during tough times in the industry.
