Johnny Depp Turns 52: Willy Wonka to Jack Sparrow; Celebrating Actor's Most Iconic Roles This Birthday [PHOTOS]

Johnny Depp turns 52 on Tuesday, 9 June, and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star's fans would certainly agree that the actor always looks too hot for his age.

The fact that the actor recently became the new face of Dior fragrances proves that he's still got the aura.

If we look back at the year gone by, a lot of rumours revolving around both his personal and professional life kept Depp in the news constantly.

Having met with a major accident, shooting for "Pirates of the Caribbean 5", divorce rumours with wife Amber Heard, dog scandal in Australia and the possibility of facing jail sentence, last year was quite eventful for JDepp.

Maybe it was not quite memorable, but Johnny can always smile looking back at the line-up of iconic roles he has essayed over the years.

Depp made his on-screen debut in the horror flick, "A Nightmare on Elm Street", in 1984. He went to star in cult-classics like TV's "21 Jump Street" and 1990's "Edward Scissorhands", and more recently, the popular "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise.

It's safe to say that he is one of the most versatile and fearless actors in the industry. JDepp has been critically-acclaimed time and again for having essayed some of the most eccentric characters in the film history.

On his birthday, we look at some of those memorable and loved characters, brought to life by the actor.

Sir James Matthew Barrie in "Finding Neverland"

This semi-biographical film narrates the story of playwright JM Barrie and the family who inspired his career-defining tale Peter Pan. This could easily be defined as one of Depp's most compassionate roles as he plays Barrie. Unlike his flashy characters like Jack Sparrow and Willy Wonka, Barrie was completely understated.

Willy Wonka in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"

Depp plays the role of an eccentric chocolatier, Willy Wonka, in this remake of the 1971 Gene Wilder classic (based on the 1964 Roald Dahl children's book). Johnny has presented this character in the most fanciful way by adding a new look, backstory and characterisation so that this updated Wonka could stand on his own.

The Mad Hatter in "Alice in Wonderland"

The Mad Hatter as we know is a character from the book "Alice in Wonderland". He is the crazy, wacky hatter who meets Alice when she shows up in Wonderland and he likes hosting tea parties. Depp portrayed this character to the "Tee", just like the original depiction.

Edward Scissorhands in "Edward Scissorhands"

Edward still remains one of the most memorable characters and obviously for all the good reasons. Johnny essayed the role of an artificial man named Edward, who is uncommonly gentle despite having a creepy appearance and scissors for hands. This role turned out to be a major turning point in Depp's career, as he became noticed for his chameleon-like acting ability.

Jack Sparrow in the "Pirates of the Carribean" franchise

Well, undoubtedly this is the most popular and loved character played by Depp ever. Maybe Jack Sparrow, the gold-toothed, dreadlocked buccaneer, now comes across as a cliché, but when this character debuted in the first movie of the franchise, "The Curse of the Black Pearl", it left everyone in awe. This definitely is Depp's most unforgettable, quirky, charming and hilarious characters.

Ed Wood in "Ed Wood"

Directed by Tim Burton, the 1994 biopic stars Depp as cult filmmaker Ed Wood. The character is brought to life by Johnny, who has managed to portray Wood's blind optimism as both outlandish and likeable simultaneously. Though the film ended up being a box office disappointment, it garnered universal praise from critics and audiences, and earned Depp a Golden Globe nomination.

Donnie Brasco in "Donnie Brasco"

In this crime drama, Johnny Depp takes on another real-life story. Adapted from Pistone's novel about his own experiences, the movie follows the story of an FBI agent who infiltrates the Bonanno crime family in New York City during the 1970s under the alias Donnie Brasco. Critics singled out Depp's top-notch performance in particular, praising his nuanced portrayal for adding believability to the film.

Gilbert Grape in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape"

Based on the novel by Peter Hedges, this whimsical and emotional tear-jerker stars Depp as the caretaker brother of Arnie (a young Leonardo DiCaprio), who suffers from a developmental disability, along with his excessively overweight mother, in a small town. Though young Leo grabbed all the attention, Depp won his share of praise for his character that deals with caring for his family, love, lust, loss, and finding himself.

Other critically-acclaimed roles and movies of the actor include: "Cry Baby", "Lone Ranger", "21 Jump Street", "Sam", "Benny & Joon", "Raoul Duke in Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas", and "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street", among many others.

Hope we get to see some more of this awe-inspiring actor in the coming years. Here's wishing Johnny Depp a very happy birthday!