JohnnyDepp-Zone.com

On its last day of shooting, PUBLIC ENEMIES ended as it had begun: with Johnny Depp striding over to say hello to well-wishers who had gathered at the film site to express their gratitude for his work. On Monday, however, only a couple of people were able to negotiate their way around the immense Santa Anita racetrack on a broiling afternoon and actually encounter Johnny. Dharma_bum (who broke the news of the location on the Zone on Sunday afternoon) met up with Zoner cats7; they were prepared simply to wave goodbye to Johnny as his SUV pulled out of the parking lot. Instead–to their great surprise–Johnny got out of the SUV and came over to them, smiling. He signed autographs and posed for pictures with Dharma and cats7 and a few other very lucky, very happy visitors.

To see photos of Johnny Depp signing autographs at Santa Anita after PUBLIC ENEMIES wrapped, CLICK HERE and HERE. These photos are screencaps taken from the video cats7 shot yesterday; we thank her very much for sharing them. Many thanks, too, to dharma_bum, for sharing her photos on the Zone. You can read more about their adventures on the News & Views forum and on the Pit, where their pictures are discussed.

Many thanks, too, to Johnny Depp, for stopping to say hello, and thereby transforming the end of the PUBLIC ENEMIES filming from sad to sweet. You left us smiling, JD; thanks for the memories. –Part-Time Poet

Michael Mann’s film PUBLIC ENEMIES shot its final scenes today at the Santa Anita racetrack near Arcadia, California. Extras in elegant 1930s summer attire gathered in the grandstand and surrounded Johnny Depp (as John Dillinger) and Marion Cotillard (as Billie Frechette) as they watched a simulated race (horse racing is not in season now, so the track was available to stand in for a dog track). Filming concluded around dinnertime; our photo shows Johnny Depp walking away from the set, holding a celebratory Corona. To see a full-length photo, CLICK HERE, and to see a photo of JD standing beside his trailer, CLICK HERE.

The Zone sends special thanks to our member Dharma_bum, who investigated the Santa Anita racetrack yesterday and ascertained that PUBLIC ENEMIES filming would be taking place there; Dharma went to Santa Anita and phoned in reports about the progress of the shoot all day long (on a very hot day!), much to the delight of Deppheads everywhere. Thanks also to KYWoman for relaying the news, and to Emma, Bonnie and AnaMaria for photos.

Principal photography on PUBLIC ENEMIES is now complete. The Zone extends heartfelt congratulations to Michael Mann, Johnny Depp, and the intrepid cast and crew of PUBLIC ENEMIES; it was truly an inspiration to watch this film being made. Thank you so much for letting us share this adventure with you; we will remember it always. –Part-Time Poet