Johnny Depp comes to ASU to talk 'madness'

By Skip Derra |
February 18, 2016

Acclaimed actor and Golden Globe winner Johnny Depp will sit down for a dialogue with Origins Project Director Lawrence Krauss at 7 p.m., March 12 in Gammage Auditorium on the Tempe Campus for a talk titled “Finding the Creativity in Madness.”

“Johnny Depp has appeared in more than 70 films in his career so far, and has unparalleled experience translating almost every aspect of the human condition to the big screen in a way that has captured the imagination of millions of viewers,” Krauss said. “I think the dialogue will be fascinating, revealing an aspect of the man that few are aware of, and also providing insights that will provoke and intrigue those in the audience.”

The dialogue will be held in association with a closed scientific workshop in partnership with the National Institutes of Health that will be held to spark discussions of big, unanswered questions and how the brain and machines process patterns, aimed at understanding consciousness, intelligence and madness.

The on-stage discussion will focus on finding the creativity in madness, revealing Depp’s experience and creative method as an actor who has portrayed eccentric fictional and non-fictional characters — like Hunter S. Thompson, Edward Scissorhands, Captain Jack Sparrow and John Wilmot, the Second Earl of Rochester — while exploring and unraveling the intricate links between creativity and madness.

“The Johnny Depp that people who attend the event will be lucky enough to listen to may surprise them,” Krauss said. “He is deeply thoughtful and has read widely on the subject of the discussion as well as about a host of other areas. We got to know each other through his interest in science and reason, and his thoughts on these subjects have always been illuminating.”

Ticket prices range from $12 to $150, plus applicable fees. Tickets can be found on line through Tickemaster.com and at the ASU Gammage Box Office or by calling (480) 965-3434.

There are a limited number of free student tickets for this event. Students will need to identify themselves as an ASU student (one ticket per student), and will need to show a student ID when picking up the ticket at the Gammage box office.

For more information on Origins events, please go to www.origins.asu.edu, or call (480) 965-0053.