Johnny Depp, known for his role in Pirates of the Caribbean, has recently revealed that he has had a custom scent designed for each of his film characters for the past 12 years. The actor’s contract as the face of Dior’s Sauvage fragrance has been renewed for a reported $20 million. He has expressed his fascination with the “meaning” behind smells for many years.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Depp confirmed that smell and fragrance do indeed help him get into character on set. He mentioned having a friend who has been making fragrances for his various characters for a decade or more. Having a unique scent associated with each character allows him to use it as a sensorial device, aiding him in immersing himself in the role.
Depp explained that smelling a specific fragrance can trigger memories and transport a person to a different time or place, similar to how other senses can create such experiences. He finds this form of travel through scent to be more honest and organic.
The actor recently appeared in a Dior Sauvage advertisement titled “The Call of the Blazing Sun,” where he talks about various elements like eagles, the sky, dry wood, and cold wind. He describes the essence of Sauvage as bold and powerful. Depp expressed his love for the solitude depicted in the Dior ads, finding it to be a Zen-like solitude rather than a lonely one.
A source reported that Johnny Depp signed a three-year contract for over $20 million as the face of Sauvage. This amount is almost double what Robert Pattinson earned for Dior Homme and higher than Brad Pitt’s earnings for promoting Chanel No. 5. The report also mentioned that most A-listers with fragrance deals typically earn $2-4 million per year.