“If there’s any message to my work, it is ultimately that it’s OK to be different, that it’s good to be different, that we should question ourselves before we pass judgment on someone who looks different, behaves different, talks different, is a different color.”
As a social species, humans have an intense desire for belonging. We want to “fit in” so that we can feel like we’re a part of the group and not some ostracized outsider. And in order to accomplish this goal, far too many of us sacrifice or compromise on who we really are, too afraid to express our true selves. It doesn’t have to be like this.
Indeed, what makes society so much more interesting is the very fact that each of us is different in some way. Our individual uniqueness should be celebrated, not suppressed. It is through this rich tapestry of diversity that we inject life with fresh ideas and new experiences. What fun would it be if we were all exactly the same?
I’m not entirely sure what it is about actor Johnny Depp that has always bugged me. There’s a certain je ne sais quoi about him that makes me want to dislike him, even if I seem to be drawn to the types of movies he likes to do. His roles are always interesting and bursting with personality. He’s evolved from a babyfaced undercover cop to playing the Mad Hatter, an eyeliner-wearing swashbuckling pirate, an emo-looking barber and an emo-looking candy mogul. His eccentricity cannot be understated.
Even though he is perhaps better known for these “weird” characters he has played over the years, Johnny Depp has also explored a number of more “serious” roles that extend his versatility as an actor. He’s played an iconic movie director, a Las Vegas hedonist, and a legendary American gangster. These are all characters who behave or talk differently. That’s not just okay; that is beautiful.
Don’t dare to be different simply for the sake of being different. Be different — and do so unapologetically — because it’s who you truly are. Even if you only play someone different on TV. Savvy?
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