Mad Hatter shows emotions "like a mood ring," says Johnny Depp

The photo at left shows Johnny Depp during a newly released promotional interview for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. Describing his character, the Mad Hatter, Johnny says, “He’s unpredictable. You see instantly what he’s feeling, like a mood ring. His emotions are very, very close to the surface. Being able to play the Mad Hatter, to breathe life into that, was a dream come true.”

Johnny also has an explanation for the Mad Hatter’s temperament, which could perhaps best be described as “mercurial.” In an earlier interview, Johnny told reporter Rachel Abramowitz of the Los Angeles Times that he believes the Mad Hatter was a victim of mercury poisoning. “In the 18th and 19th centuries, mercury was used in the manufacture of felt, and when used in hats it could be absorbed through the skin and affect the mind,” Abramowitz wrote. Hatters who suffered from mercury poisoning developed “an orange tint” to their hair . . . “hence Depp’s interest in adding brushstrokes of that particular watercolor to his portrait.”

The Zone thanks Emma for sharing the interview; you can read more about Alice in Wonderland on the Zone’s News and Views forum. To see a larger version of AnaMaria’s screencap of Johnny’s interview, CLICK HERE. Thanks to AnaMaria for sharing it with us. –Part-Time Poet

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