Johnny Depp has had a long career as a character actor, although his most iconic role is likely Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. He played that drunken protagonist in 5 movies across a decade and change, and some fans are still hoping to see Depp return to the role. Back in December he did that (sort of) in order to make the day of a sick young fan. That fan has unfortunately passed away at age 11, and the 60 year-old actor has paid tribute to him as a result.
Depp went viral months ago for suiting back up as Jack Sparrow for a young Pirates of the Caribbean fan who was ill. That young fan’s name was Kori Stovell, and the two seemed to have a sweet connection. Unfortunately Kori has passed away at the age of 11, leading Johnny Depp to take to social media and write a touching tribute to his young fan. You can check that out below, courtesy of Depp’s Instagram story:
How touching is that? On top of sharing his thoughts about “Captain” Kori, Depp also included a link to a GoFundMe organized by the late fan’s family. They’re hoping to give him one last Pirates of the Caribbean sendoff, including a theatrical memorial. The public has been donating a ton of money, surpassing the £15,000 goal, and currently over £47k.
It’s certainly sad to see that Kori Stovell has passed away due to a heart condition. He was reportedly on palliative care after two failed transplants, and eventually succumbed to his illness. His love for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise shows how much Johnny Depp’s series of movies still means to fans out there. Although the status of the property remains up in the air for the time being.
As Johnny Depp had his long legal battle with Amber Heard, Disney was reportedly developing two different Pirates movies, neither of which were expected to include the return of Captain Jack Sparrow. One was going to star Margot Robbie, but it’s unclear if that’s still happening.
As for Depp, an insider revealed that he’s reportedly open to working with Disney again. Whether that’ll be another Pirates movie or a different project entirely remains to be seen, but his career does seem to be in the midst of a comeback. Although I assume that the Edward Scissorhands actor will be thinking of Kori Stovell if he ever plays Jack Sparrow again on the big screen.
Professionally, Johnny Depp has been keeping busy lately. His first post-trial movie recently premiered, and he’s also getting behind the camera for a directing gig starring Al Pacino. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
