Johnny Depp explains his inspiration for how he portrays ‘Mad Hatter’

(HMG) – Johnny Depp didn’t settle for first impressions of his character in ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ he immersed himself in the psychedelic world of Lewis Carroll’s famous tale in order to portray the Mad Hatter.

‘I read the Lewis Carroll stories over and over again, and I learned everything I could about Victorian times,’ Depp says.‘It would have been too easy, and not very believable, to have played the Mad Hatter as just a straightforward crazy guy.‘But I knew Tim would be wanting more than that – there had to be a reason why he was like that, because something had tipped him over the edge.’Depp’s research revealed that the term ‘mad as a hatter’ came from a truth – that hatters in Victorian times suffered from mercury poisoning, a side-effect of the hat- manufacturing process which would affect the mind. 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 which affected the mind through maladies such as Korsakoff’s syndrome.‘So now we knew why he’s mad, and after that, anything went,’ Depp says.‘The mercury would have also shown through his skin and his hair, so the Hatter would have looked as mad as he behaved.’Hatters and mill workers often fell victim to mercury poisoning which, in Carroll’s time, had an orange tint – hence Depp’s interest in adding that colour to the character.Alice In Wonderland hits theatres in 3-D on March 5.

Johnny Depp officially ‘Sexiest Man Alive’?

In a decision destined to leave Robert Pattinson’s legions of devoted admirers in confused desolation, the judges at People have named Johnny Depp the ‘Sexiest Man Alive,’ for 2009.
Wresting the the title from last year’s winner, Hugh Jackman, this is the second time the 46-year old Kentucky-born actor has gained the odd, but still highly prized accolade. He first won in 2003, and also secured the magazine’s nomination as one of ‘The 50 Most Beautiful People in the World,’ back in 1996.
Only Brad Pitt, Richard Gere and George Clooney have won the ‘SMA’ award twice, but with typical reserve Johnny has made no self-serving statement about this good fortune. Last night he was seen at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, toasting his great friend and co-conspirator, Tim Burton at a retrospective event showcasing Tim’s paintings and other goth-inspired artwork.
And while his role as Jack Sparrow has brought Johnny a fanbase of millions, he’s not due to revisit the role until 2011. But if you’re a fan – and who isn’t – and you need a quick fix, he’s now in post-production for his role as ‘The Mad Hatter’ in Tim’s unique version of ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ which opens across the country on March 5th…