Johnny Depp lifts lid on where he feels most at home

Johnny Depp has opened up about struggling with empty-nest syndrome, revealing the only place he has ever felt at “home” was the French property where he and ex-partner Vanessa Paradis raised their two children.

In an interview with the Sunday Times, Depp, 62, shed some light on what his life has been like since his highly publicised defamation lawsuit against his former wife, Amber Heard, came to a dramatic end in 2022.

The “Pirates of the Caribbean” star took his ex to court in Virginia over accusations she made in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed, Realtor reports.

The “Aquaman” actress claimed that Depp had been physically abusive to her during their relationship — allegations that he vehemently denied.

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Johnny Depp, seen with son Jack and daughter Lily-Rose in 2013. Picture: Jun Sato/WireImage

His courtroom victory against Heard was widely seen as the spark of a career “comeback” for Depp, who many believed had been intentionally sidelined from projects after Heard’s claims were brought to light.

However, he insists that wasn’t the case.

He told the Times he “didn’t go anywhere”, adding that — had he left the industry — he would “never” have come back to it.

While Depp is eager to look ahead in his career, he admitted to feeling somewhat nostalgic about his personal life — specifically the time he spent living in the South of France with Paradis and their kids, Lily-Rose and Jack.

Describing himself as being “of the empty-nest syndrome” now that his children have grown up and found homes of their own, Depp recalled a portrait he began painting of his daughter when she was just 10.

“I never finished it. She was 10 then and 25 now. Years get away from us, don’t they? I’m of the empty-nest syndrome,” he confessed.

The actor lifted the lid on life after his infamous trial with his ex, Amber Heard. Picture: Jim Lo Scalzo / Getty Images

Depp said he missed having his children at home with him, revealing they referred to him as “Papa” when they were being raised in France.

“Oh man, my kids growing up in the South of France in their youth? I was ‘Papa.’ I cannot tell you how much I loved being Papa,” he said.

However, he revealed things changed when the family packed up and relocated to Los Angeles.

“Then, suddenly, ‘Papa’ was out the window. I was ‘Dad.’ But ‘Papa’ was awesome and I’m getting old enough for ‘Papa’ to possibly come back,” he added.

Although their move helped Depp’s career blossom, the Hollywood heavyweight confessed Europe is the only place he has ever considered “home.”

“Truly, the first time I felt I had a home was the place in the South of France where Vanessa and I raised the kiddies,” he confessed.

“That’s the only place that ever felt like home”.

He noted he doesn’t spend much time in the US, before revealing he usually lives out his days in his “Bahamas joint”.

He insisted he “didn’t go anywhere” when asked about his “comeback”. He also noted if he had left, he would have “never” come back. Picture: Dave Benett/WireImage

It is a far cry from his childhood — which began in Owensboro, Kentucky — where Depp was born.

However, Depp and his family — mum Betty Sue, father John, brother Daniel, and sisters Debbie and Christi — moved around plenty before putting down roots in Florida.

He admits his childhood was not always easy, particularly because of family tensions.

“My brother had his problems with the parents. There were many episodes of conflict — he and my father would duke it out — and Debbie had her problems with them, too.

“Then Danny got married. Soon Debbie got married, too, so it was only me and Christi,” Depp recalled.

“Then Christi got married, so it was only me. And dynamics changed.

“It was almost as if I was used to conflict. It was not abnormal. I did my best to just step in and out.”

He noted his vision for his own children is much different from what people had of him when he was growing up.

Lily-Rose is following in her father’s footsteps by showcasing her acting chops on “The Idol” and “Nosferatu”.

The “Pirates of the Caribbean” star also reflected on the past, specifically how he and his ex Vanessa Paradis (seen in 2004) raised their two children. Picture: Carlo Allegri/Getty Images

However, Depp confessed he didn’t want her to head down the same path as him.

“Sometimes kids say to me, ‘I want to be an actor, what’s your advice?’” Depp revealed. “And I say, ‘Don’t be!’

“I know what’s coming for them. I was chucked on that road, and the only advice that I can give is, ‘Don’t allow anyone to make you something you are not.’

“They’ll want you to be a poster boy, and it’s tempting — a lot of money.

“And if that’s the direction you want? Go for it. But don’t let anybody choose for you.”

Depp holds the keys to a number of opulent pads across the globe, including an 850-acre estate in England, which he snapped up for $US17.5 million ($A26.8 million) in 2014.

It comes with 12 bedrooms and eight bathrooms, and it is believed to be his primary residence.

He also owns a cluster of properties in the Hollywood Hills, including a Sweetzer Castle and a Gothic Revival mansion, which he purchased in 1995 for $US2.15 million ($A3.29 million).

In France, Depp owns a chic village near St. Tropez, and it holds multiple cottages, a chapel, and a restaurant.

Although he attempted to offload the residence in the past, he still owns it.

Lastly, the actor owns a home in the Bahamas, which he snapped up for $US3.6 million ($A5.5 million) in 2004.

Parts of this story first appeared in Realtor and was republished with permission.

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