for a murder he did not commit. ever since then his dream was to fight just one bout as a free man. well he easily dominated hopkins and was declared the winner. congratulations to him. bozella was given many chances to leave prison if he would confess. he always refused. he said he'd rather die behind bars than to admit to something he didn't do. i'm don lemon. thanks for watching. have a good night. he's wearing the biggest stars in the world. one of the most acclaimed actors of our time. tonight, johnny depp. the man who rarely grants interviews sits down with me. and opens up about his fame. >> it's the card i drew. i'll deal with it. that's fine. it doesn't mean that every single moment you have to be sort of okay with it. >> i don't want my kids to experience me as a novelty. i want my kids to know me as dad. >> and his famous friends.

>> he had that big of an effect on you? >> he's a wonderful man. he would give you anything. >> plus, we go on a tour of his private office full of personal memorabilia and his paintings. it's all ahead on this larry king special, johnny depp. >> we're sitting here in johnny depp's office, an office like i've never seen. he is one of the most celebrated and versatile actors of his generation. he's also director, producer, accomplished musician. his new movie "rum diary" will open october 28th. the only novel ever written by hunter s. thompson. we'll talk about that later. you don't do many things like this. why do you not like to be interviewed? >> no. i'm just not very good at it. >> why not? >> you know, there's a strange thing. i'm okay when i'm a character. if i'm playing a character, i can do virtually anything in

front of a camera. but if i'm just me, i feel, you know, exposed. sort of, you know, feels awkward. >> we won't expose you. >> okay. >> do you like being other people? >> yeah. i do. i do because i'm fascinated with people. i like to watch people. and that's the one sort of thing, you know, as an actor in terms of job necessity is the ability to be able to watch people, to observe, to be an observer as a journalist, you know, to observe. and it's one of my favorite things to sort of pick apart, you know, various traits. >> marlon brando said the one problem is when you get very well known is they're observing you. so you can't -- you're not observing them really. >> yeah, exactly. that becomes the problem. you become the focus of others.

so, therefore, you're ability to observe is tainted. it's a little bit -- it changed radically. >> how did you go from guitar to acting? >> accident. >> how did it happen? >> i moved to los angeles in 1983 and was living here playing music. and we did a couple good gigs. the band and stuff. we we went on the road for a little bit. that was fine. but in terms of making a living, it was pretty close to the bone there. so i was filling out job applications from various video stores or anywhere. and i happened to be with an old buddy of mine, nicolas cage, and who was, you know, then coming up the ranks. he said why don't you just -- i think you should meet my agent. you should investigate acting. >> you hadn't thought of it?

>> no. not really, no. >> and so i met his agent. she sent me to read for a part. and i got a call back and then they hired me for the gig. that was the first "nightmare on elm street." >> did you like it right away? >> no. >> it was a job? >> it was just a gig. i just felt this will get me through until, you know,ed music picks up or whatever. and so i just thought the first two or three, four films, to me, were just, you know, a lark. >> would you rather have been a musician? >> in retrospect, no. in retrospect, no. because it's -- i suppose had that become my bread and butter as they say, the main gig, i would have probably fallen out of love with it on some level. and i still to this day, you know, have the same love, you

know, first love feeling for music as i did when i was 12. >> do you play? >> all the time. constantly. still. yeah. >> how did you react to getting famous? >> i'm still reacting, you know? i'm still sort of dealing with it. i don't think you ever get used to it. for many years, i could never put my name in the same sort of category as the word famous or anything like that. i just found it very uncomfortable. so it's weird. it's something like if you -- i find if you get used to it. then something must be wrong. if you get used to that constant kind of thing, something's got to be wrong. there has to be a part of that you somewhere in there that pines for anonymity. >> allen alda said he doesn't like giving autographs because

he feels it demeans the person asking for the autograph. you put them on a lower level. brando didn't like much being photographed. you don't like being photographed? >> i suppose, like, for example, when you do something organized luke a photo shoot, essentially, you know, i mean a faux pas, there was a piece in "vanity fair." when i should have used the word violated, however, in my lack of vocabulary in the moment i used another word which i have, you know, apologized for radically. but the thing with doing a photo shoot, that's sort of an organized thing. you feel dumb. okay. but just -- you get through it. but what i find still to this day, like an attack on the senses is really just being bombarded by paparazzi.

i take photographs with kids. people, you know, who want to take photographs with me. people who like the movies. people who supported me. i'll do that all day, all night. that's fine. but the bombardment, you know, of the paparazzi is not good. >> what do they get out of it? they take your picture. and then they take it a minute later. it's not any different than a minute before. >> and it's not any different than the year before. >> what do you think it is? >> i truly don't understand. i think it must be just this kind of -- i don't know. it just feels like this kind of glutenous, horrific sport. it's like sport. it's like hunting or something. >> and do you go out of your way to try to avoid them? >> yeah. i try to avoid, you know, any and all press, especially that nature. yeah. i just -- >> so do you go -- >> i don't want my kids to

experience me as a novelty. i want my kids to know me as dad. and already if they have access to the internet or whatever, i mean they understand what the deal is. but i don't want them to have to live through and experience that kind of attack. >> so what do do you when you go out to eat? >> i don't go out very much. i stay at home a lot. or we go out to eat, you know, it becomes a strategic sort of plan. okay, we're going in the back. we're going to walk through the kitchen and we're going to go into the private room or, you know, that kind of thing. >> tough way to live. >> you know, it's -- i suppose it's what -- it's the card i drew. so i'll deal with it. that's fine. but it doesn't mean every single moment you have to be sort of okay with it. i certainly am not one of those guys and, you know, can't stand the idea of one of the guys who whines about, you know, how horrible success is and all

this. i do realize and understand very well on a profound level how lucky i am and what a privileged position it and what it's done ultimately for me, my family and my kids. but at the same time, you know, there are moments in a man's life when you just kind of want to feel somewhat normal, you know? >> he's one of the biggest stars in the world. it wasn't always that way. >> i had been essentially known within the confines of hollywood as the, you know, as box office poison. basically, i built a career on 20 years of failures. >> plus, later, johnny shows me the inside of his private office. it's an up close and personal look at a johnny depp you will not want to miss. when this "larry king" special: johnny depp" returns. # at adt, we get financing from ge capital.

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also show you how to save it. not just money, knowledge. it's so much information, it's like i'm right there in every van in the entire fleet. good day overall. yeah, i'm good. come on in. let's go. wow, this is fantastic. ge capital. they're not just bankers. we're builders. they helped build our business. [ male announcer ] its design inspires. its power impresses. it's thin, light and built without compromise. but mostly, it acts like my personal assistant on set. unlike my real assistant who isn't quite as thin, light or powerful. ♪ he's right there, isn't he? designed with the 2nd gen intel® core™ i5/i7 processors, performance you need, style you want. visit dell.com this week and check out our october signature event for great offers on our best systems.

and check out our october signature event [ woman announcing ]bsite there's an easier way. create your own small-business site... with intuit websites. choose a style, customize, publish and get found... from just $7.99 a month. get a 30-day free trial... at intuit.com. >> larry: paul newman told me any successful person doesn't use the word luck is a liar. >> oh, yeah. he's absolutely right. yeah. >> larry: so you consider yourself lucky?

>> very lucky, yeah. >> larry: you have to have talent to meet the luck, right? >> somebody hands you the ball. and you run. you know? i mean if you git hit, you get hit. or maybe make it through. you never know. but i mean i just know that somebody handed me the ball at a certain point. and i was hungry enough to keep running. and i'm still running. >> larry: what do you think makes gu at what you do? you have to think you're good. >> i'm okay. >> larry: i don't watch yourself, right? >> i don't, no. i don't like to watch myself. but i think, you know, i maintain a hunger but not an ambition. you know, i'm very happy to explore all possibilities of a character and really, you know, dive in to the role. to the point of where disney

wanted to fire me. >> larry: they wanted to fire from you "pirates"? >> yeah? >> larry: because? >> they couldn't understand what i was doing. they didn't understand the character. they actually were contemplating subtitling the film. >> always remember this as the day you almost caught captain jack sparrow. >> what are you doing? you burned all the food. the rum. >> yes, the rum is gone. >> my rum is gone. >> larry: ever turn doing r down something you regretted? >> no. >> larry: no? >> i don't regret any of it, no. no. everything that i turned down was -- it was weirdly more important what i turned down than what i accepted in terms of films. >> larry: for your own happiness? >> so even if it became a hit? >> yeah. pirates was a complete accident.

prior to "pirates of the caribbean," the first one in 2003, that was -- i mean i had been essentially known within the confines of hollywood as the, you know, box office poison. basically i built a career on 20 years of failures. >> larry: did it surprise you, its success? >> hugely. i had no idea. >> larry: are you going to do more? >> you know, it depends. >> larry: does it ever become too much? >> not yet. not yet for me. i mean maybe to the masses, i don't know, maybe. i don't know. i still feel like in terms of character captain jack is one that i'd like to explore. >> larry: he's still evolving? >> yeah. because he's fun. you know, he's fun. it's a license to be totally and utterly irreverant and get away with it. >> larry: he's going to age.

>> well, i suppose he'll have to. >> larry: let's discuss some others, some incredible roles. you played edward scissor hands. >> probably the most important film i've ever done just in terms of the transition for me, you know, from basically at the time being known as -- having come up the ranks as a tv actor in the minds of hollywood, scissors hands was the one that put me on the road that i wanted to be on. so for me, that one is probably the most important of all. >> mad hatter. >> a gas. i mean just a gas. again, you know, one of those things you get a call from tim and he says what do you think about this? and you just start to travel. >> larry: you just did dark shadows, right? >> just finished. >> larry: that was a soap opera based on a vampire. what attracted you to that? >> i watched it as a kid, religiously. i remember sprinting home from

school to see it. and i didn't want to miss a minute of it. and ironically, you know, tim had gone through the same experience. running home from school. and then back when we were doing sweeney, we were doing sweeney todd a couple years ago and it one day we were it issing there talking. i said we should do a vampire movie some time. let's do a vampire movie. it was before the "twilights" and all that stuff. he said that's a good idea. "dark shadows," man. so we got on the dark shadows tangent. >> larry: was willy wonka fun? >> absolutely fun. really fun. >> larry: do you have to enjoy it to do it? >> i think you have to. i mean it's got to be fun. the process itself must be fun. you have to enjoy what you're doing and as we all know, as you noi as well as i do, it's a collaborative process.

it's not just in certificate the actor in front of the camera. there are many people behind the scenes that make it all go. so i would find it really a drag if they stick me in front of the camera and the guys behind the camera were having a good time, too. >> larry: still ahead, johnny talks about his famous co-stars and friends. al pacino. >> he says i'm nuts but he's really nuts. he's like certifybly nuts. >> larry: marlon brando. >> we got along like a house on fire. he was a dangerous element. you never knew what to expect to him. >> larry: and hunter s. thompson. >> i realized this was the voice of truth. he was without question i think the most important nonfiction writer of the 20th century. >> larry: plus bet a tour of his private office. but first, after supporting him for years, johnny opens up on the release of the west memphis

three. did you have anybody say, you know, johnny going out on a limb? >> oh, yeah. >> larry: find out why this wh this "larry king special" continues. the nascar nationwi,

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what do you make of finally the release of the memphis three? you got involved in that battle. we did a whole show on it. >> yeah. >> we had them on.

and they -- they're guilty. they're out. but it's crazy. >> it's a very strange thing the state of arkansas presented to them. essentially, you know, to say, okay. all you have to do is say that we have the evidence to convict you again, and -- but we'll do time served and you're out. admitting guilt, maintaining your innocence. so it's a very -- you know, it's a really floppy piece of ground to stand on. >> why did you get involved? >> because i -- i knew immediately, you know, when i -- when i first started to get kind of -- familiarize myself with the case, i knew instantly that they were innocent. i knew instantly that they were wrongfully accused. and the more research i did and the more people i spoke to, it was absolutely apparent. >> did you have anybody say to you, you know, johnny, you go out on a limb on a thing like this. >> oh, yeah, yeah.

a lot of people. >> like what if they did it? you're going to look bad. >> there was that kind of thing. i just knew. i just knew, you know. it was just -- it was ugly and -- and a raw deal from the get-go. back in '93. you're thinking of these three kids. one, damien echols on death row for 18 years. ten years in isolation. you know, for a crime that he did not commit. >> you think obama should pardon them? >> i mean, it would be wonderful. i think he's probably got a few other things on his mind at the moment. but, yeah, yes. what i'm hoping is that the investigation will continue outside the courthouse right now and we will be able to prove the real killers. >> back to some roles. one i want to play a little clip for you here. one of my all-time favorite movies with one of my dear friends, al pacino. that was, of course, "donny braskow."

let's hear al talking about you. working with johnny depp. >> i love him. i love johnny depp. >> what makes him special? you did donny braskow. >> yeah. he's done so many things. he's gone from "a" to "z." it's just gifts. just really his gifts. has a personality. as a person, i just loved him. i loved being with him. he made me laugh every day i was there. he's nutting, too. >> he's nuts? >> oh, yeah. he'll say i'm nutting but he's really nuts. he's nuts in that way that he's just fun to be with. >> you the same way toward him? >> yeah. although when you're working with pacino, you know he's great. in that moment, of course you lock in -- as he said, you lock in and you're in the scene and stuff like that. as soon as cut comes, you go, jesus christ, man. wow. he's monumental. >> he said you're nuts. >> he might be right. but he's -- i mean, he says i'm

nuts but he's really -- he's like certifiably nuts. and one of the funniest human beings i've ever known in my life. >> pacino to brando. there's a puzzling aspect of your life that piz ls me. you directed and appeared with brando in a movie that we have never seen. >> yeah. "the brave," yeah. >> why have we never seen it? >> i was sort of rushed to take it to the cannes film festival. took it there. and then -- >> and it was praised there, was it not? >> it was kind of praised. the first night was really wonderful, you know. you had all these film makers that i really admired, have admired for years, saying bravo, bravo. then the next day the american press just absolutely lambasted, you know, me and the film saying it's the -- we haven't seen a weirder group of people and all these kind of strange things. i just -- >> shelved it? >> i didn't shelve it.

i owned the north american rights. i just thought, you know what? i mean, what's the point. >> might you release it? >> yeah. maybe. i tell you why. for one reason only. it's certainly not a perfect film. what i will say about that film and what i will say about marlen in particular, it's one of the best performances he's given since "last tango." it's one of the performances where he -- he dug down deep and -- and gave of himself so monumentally. >> was he a little ticked that you didn't release it? >> no. he didn't care. no, he was fine. >> that's marlen. >> yeah. he was fine with it. >> now, you did do a movie with him. did you enjoy doing that? >> "don juan"? >> yes. "don juan." >> that was the very first. we got along like a house on fire instantly.

we got close doing "don juan." >> what did he do that others in the -- what did he do that the rest of you didn't do? >> well, marlen early on, i mean, marlon reinvented -- marlon reinvented acting. he revolutionized acting. he made it -- it was not about behavior in a sense as it was just about being in a moment. and he was a dangerous element. i mean, he was a dangerous element. he remained a dangerous element. >> risk taker. >> oh, yeah. all the way through, man. until, you know, his last -- his last breath. you know, he was -- he was a dangerous element. you never knew what to expect from him. coming up, johnny explains how he made hunter s. thompson's final wish come true. shooting his ashes out of a cannon. >> he came down over all of us. we were covered in hunter's ashes. it was something that i knew that had to be done and -- and

we got it done, yeah. and get an inside look at his office. it's all next on this "larry king special: johnny depp." [ male announcer ] it's simple physics... a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. and celebrex is not a narcotic. when it comes to relieving your arthritis pain, you and your doctor need to balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen, and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death.

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i'm don lemon. live in the cnn world headquarters in atlanta. dan wheldon died sunday in a fiery crash.

our affiliate spoke a short time ago with wheldon's father-in-law about the first moments when he heard about the accident. >> we were watching the race. of course, we're always rooting for dan. and then my daughter was realizing that there was a terrible crash and she was saying it was dan. he was involved in the crash. i said we're waiting. sure enough, he was involved. and then our daughter phoned susan and she says, dads, i have to go to the hospital. please pray that everything is okay. and, of course, it wasn't to be okay. >> the race was canceled. the other drivers drove if formation around the speeld for five laps. wheldon was married and had two young sons. philadelphia police have made a horrifying discovery. four mentally challenged adults locked and chained in the basement of an apartment building. the three men and one woman are believed to have been there about a week. three people are now in custody. they are suspected of holding

the captives to get their social security checks. it looks like porn hackers command eared ses me street's online channel. the channel is not available. sunday afternoon users saw sex videos instead of clips of grover, elmo or the other characters. and at one point the page also said that content was brought to you by the letter x, playing off a sesame street saying. the trial of michael jackson's dog resumes on tuesday number court is set for monday because a witness for the prosecution is unavailable. the prosecution is expected to wrap up its presentation this week. dr. murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in jackson's death. those are your headlines this hour. we're keeping you informed. cnn, the most trusted word in news. johnny depp's personal office.

as interesting and unique as the man himself. inside the walls are lined with personal momentos and photos from his life and work. here, a cabinet of curiosities from his movie "sweeney todd." willy wonka's throne from "charlie and the chocolate factory." his walking stick and that golden ticket. one of his guitars. awards and accolades. perhaps one of the most interesting things to see, johnny's self-made portrait from his friend and mine, the legendary marlon brando. >> i had i made this painting of you. you paint? >> another amazing man in johnny's life, hunter s. thompson. he shows us a letter and a check. something he received after thompson lost a bet over the 1998 world cup. he became friends with thompson before he filmed "fear and loathing" in las vegas. it was a friendship that endured for years and one that led to his latest movie "the rum diary." let's talk about hunter thompson. and your friendship with him. you led to this movie, "rum diary" based on him. you found this novel, right?

we never knew he wrote a novel. >> no, no. i happened upon it. hunter and i -- it was when i was researching "fear and loathing" in las vegas. i was living in his basement. i happened upon this box. as we were looking through the manuscript of "fear and loathing." i see this folder. "rum diary" across it in his hand. i thought, wow, what's that? i started to read it. sitting cross legged on the floor reading this amazing thing. my, god, that's pretty good, isn't it? that's very good, hunter. what are you doing? then he brought up the idea. he used to call me colonel. colonel, we must produce this. we'll produce this together. it'll be our -- you know, so that was the plan. >> did he know you were going to do it? >> it took a little while.

you know, years, years happened. and then hunter made his exit, you know. so he never got to. >> did you kind of make a promise that you'd make it? >> yeah. absolutely. yeah. >> so this is a commitment? >> for sure. no, this was fulfilling a commitment to hunter. this was absolutely a major promise, we are going to produce this thing together. even so far as to have -- hunter had his chair onset every day with his name on it. he had his script there with his name on it. he had -- there was a bottle of chevis there every day. a highball glass filled with rocks. we'd bang in the chevis. his dun hills, his cigarette filters. >> it's an unusual fill p, you'll agree with that. >> it is, yeah. >> people will react different ways to it. >> i think so, yeah. >> explain to the uninitiated who hunter thompson was? >> he was without question, i mean, i think the most important

nonfiction writer of the -- of the 20th century. >> when he died, you -- you blew his ashes? >> yeah. >> how did you come to do that? from a cannon? >> yeah. built a cannon. he -- it was his last request, you know. and it was something that we'd talked about here and there. but i knew that that's what he wanted. and i knew that that had to be done at whatever, you know -- at whatever cost. so i -- i met with some, you know, some kind of architectural wizards and stuff. we built -- we devised a cannon in 153 feet in the shape of the gonzo fist that would shoot hunter into the stratosphere. >> did it make a big sound? >> oh, boy. it was huge. he came down all over all of us. we were covered in hunter's ashes. the idea also to take hunter --

you know, his ashes and then mix that in with gun powder, there was something so poetic about that. something so kind of symmetrical about hunter becoming basically large bullets that he would have loved. again, it was something that i -- i knew that had to be done and we got it done, yeah. he's gone from pumping gas to being one of the highest-paid actors in the world. >> i haven't changed. i'm still exactly the guy that used to pump gas, you know. i'm still the guy that was a mechanic for a minute, you know. i'm still exactly. i just happen to have a weird -- weirder job at the moment. and johnny tells us the latest on the lone ranger. finally back on? it's going to happen? >> yeah. we got the budget down. >> that's good to hear. >> yeah. that's coming up on this "larry king special: johnny depp

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it cuts fuel use. koch: it enhances customer service. it's pretty amazing when people who loan you money also show you how to save it. not just money, knowledge. it's so much information, it's like i'm right there in every van in the entire fleet. good day overall. yeah, i'm good. come on in. let's go. wow, this is fantastic. ge capital. they're not just bankers. we're builders. they helped build our business. ever want to do theater? >> yeah. there is a part of me. there is a part of me that wants to do it, you know. >> to have the audience and get the reaction. >> yeah, yeah. there is a part of me that wants to do it. but at the same time, you know, i -- i suppose the reason to do it is because it just scares the absolute, you know -- >> it does scare you?

>> oh, yeah. >> you don't have the protection of "cut." >> yeah. you don't have the protection of "cut." also you just walk out there and suddenly just go -- line. you know, i'm up. what's the line, you know? that would be a real drag. >> is there a play you've liked that you've said to yourself, if i do do it, i would do that play? >> it was one -- one conversation with marlon where he said -- he asked me how many movies i did a year. at the time i said, i don't know, maybe three or something. he says, too much kid. that's too much. we only have so many faces in our pockets, you know. i said, okay, i get it. he said, why don't you play hamlet. you should play hamlet. i said, i don't know, hamlet's the kind of cliche thing. he said, no, man. do it before you're too old. i never got the chance. i never did it. you should do it. go do it. that still sticks in my head is the possibility of before i'm too long in the tooth to play hamlet. >> have you -- >> have i? >> yeah.

>> yeah. >> what got you down? >> certainly throughout life, losing marlon took me down. losing hunter took me down. because, you know that these -- these friends, these mentors, these teachers, these father figures, you know, these -- someone who -- who you really -- it was amazing to be accepted by them and to -- and to be loved by them. and suddenly they're gone, you know. yeah. those are pretty down times. >> do you have faith? >> i have faith in my kids. >> me, too. >> yeah. i have faith in my kids. and i have -- i have faith, you know, that as long as you keep moving forward, just keep

walking forward, things will be all right, i suppose, you know. faith in terms of religion, i don't -- religion is not my specialty. >> do you enjoy success? now, you know you're successful. are you -- do you enjoy it? do you enjoy the fruits of it? >> sure. i mean, i've been very -- like i said, very, very lucky, you know, in a sense that, you know, i mean, how -- how ironic is it that, you know, as i said -- >> you were pumping gas. >> i was pumping gas, most definitely. printing t-shirts and selling ink pens, anything and everything. yeah. and then the fact that you have a 20-year career of failures and then you do a pirate movie and that buys you an island is pretty -- the irony of that is pretty good. >> do you think about the times when things weren't so good a lot? >> yeah, yeah. oh, yeah.

you know, there was a guy who i worked with many years ago. we were talking about success and money and all that stuff. and he told me this one thing. he said, you know, money doesn't change anybody. money reveals them, you know. same thing with success. i believe that, you know, wholeheartedly. i think i've been revealed. i don't think -- i haven't changed -- i'm still exactly the guy that used to pump gas, you know. i'm still the guy that was a mechanic for a minute, you know. i'm still exactly. i just happen to have a weird -- weirder job at the moment, you know? >> it is a weird profession. >> as marlon said, marlon had the best definition of acting that exists, you know. it's a strange job for a grown man. and that's it. >> you do that good.

>> it's a strange job for a grown man. right? >> but he called something else that people in the business got mad at. he said it on our show. he called it lying for a living. >> right. >> and most actors say they're not lying. >> mmm. >> did you think that was an unfair expression? >> i think it's totally -- i think it's totally right, yeah. it's lying. it is lying. why wouldn't it be? you can make it lying. you can make it not lying. you can find your own truth. but it's still a lie. you know what i mean? you're going to go to the craft service table. you're not hennry 8, man. he's not going to eat a giant chicken leg and chuck it somewhere and start screaming "wench". >> do you like the camera? bert reynolds used to say every day he'd go up to the camera and say love me today. please love me. >> oh, really? >> you don't look at your films, right? >> i don't. the strange thing, what happens at a certain point. it's kind of like that thing marlon said about being observed and having been the observer.

you get to a place at a certain point where you're more comfortable in front of a camera doing, behaving, living in front of a camera than you are in normal life. that is to say, like, out at a restaurant or something like that. you know, the camera becomes sort of just part of the -- >> same thing in my profession. i don't want to discuss myself. >> you know what i mean? it's just there and that's part of it and that's it. >> it's your comfort zone. >> yeah, yeah. up next, johnny talks about being a family man. >> kids are great. so fun. as you know, they just grow up so fast. it's just shocking. explains those tattoos. >> do the kids like it? >> yeah, they're okay with it, you know. yeah. they're sort of used to it by now, you know. when i come home with a new one they're like oh, yeah, that's good. nice one, dad. and announces details on his next projects. are you doing a film about dr. seuss? >> find out all about his future coming up on this "larry king

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> you're not into "national enquirer." >> no. thank god. early days they tried to slop me into those things. now not so much. i think they kind of -- after almost 14 years of vanessa and two kids i think they kind of -- >> how did you meet vanessa? >> i had met her before. but very briefly. and then it was '98 when i went to do this film with roman polanski in paris. i was in the hotel lobby sort of getting my messages. and i turned around and was walking back towards my room and then i saw -- i saw across the room, i saw this back, this sort of skin of this back and this neck attached to it. i just thought, my god, what's that? instantly it turned towards me and walked over and said hello. and it was vanessa. and it was that moment when i knew i was absolutely in deep trouble. it's over. i just knew it.

it was over. and she -- you know, we were going to have a kid. within three months she was pregnant, so. it was over. >> what are the kids like? >> the kids are great. so fun. >> you live here, right? you live in los angeles? >> yeah, yeah. we basically try and spend -- spend sort of half and half. with the kiddies in school, we do a lot here. the kids are great, you know? jack -- they're just -- as you know, they just grow up so fast. it's just shocking. >> you and your sister are very close, right? >> my sister, yeah. christy is my best friend in the world. she's kept me alive since i was a little kid. >> you were family oriented early. >> very much so. >> anything you'd change? it's hard to change. >> unfortunately i have a tendency, especially these days now when -- the way the work is coming, i work a lot. and i probably work too much.

if i could change that, i'd love to be able -- >> you can change that. >> -- to spend more time. yeah, you can. but once you've committed to certain things. >> you need that camera. >> well, i need to have the brain occupied for sure. you know, the brain canopy occupied at all times. otherwise i will go sideways. >> why tattoos? >> like a journal. you know. >> you keep a journal of your life on your body? >> basically, yeah. it started when i was 17 i got my first tattoo. and every single one means something and they all -- >> and the kids like it? >> yeah. they're okay with it, you know. they're sort of used to it by now. when i come home with a new one they're like, oh, yeah, that's good. nice one, dad. >> what happened to "the lone ranger"? >> it's still up and running. >> i heard that the budget was too high and they're not going to do it. you're going to play tonto, right? >> yeah. >> you have indian blood, right? >> yeah, yeah. >> what tribe? >> i was told -- i was always

told it was cherokee growing up and stuff. it may be cherokee. it may be creek. i don't know exactly. >> is there a script? >> there is a script. there's a very funny, good script. >> is it a takeoff of "the lone ranger"? >> yeah. >> it's funny. >> there's humor. there's a boat load of humor. >> does tonto get to say kimosabe? >> yeah. yeah. >> who's the lone ranger if it's made? >> it's going to be a guy named arnie hammer. it looks like it's going to all come together in january. >> it's going to happen. >> yeah. we got the budget down, yeah. >> that's good to hear. >> yeah. >> you play him tongue in cheek? how are you going to approach tonto? >> what i like about tonto is the idea that this -- this character who's thought of as the sidekick, you know, it was the thing that bugged me always about "the lone ranger." why is the indian the sidekick? why does he have to go get you that thing? >> he's the slave.

>> right. i couldn't stand that always. my approach to tonto is that he's this sort of -- there's sort of a crazy like a fox stoicism to tonto that -- that tonto probably believes that the lone ranger is his slave, his sidekick. go get me the thing. no, no. >> he's going to say no? >> you go get it. you go. you're the one dressed in the funny outfit. you do it. >> are they going to do the beginning where all these bunch of rangers are killed and tonto saves the lone ranger's life? >> yeah. there's certainly elements of that, yeah, for sure. you remember it well. >> oh, is there a love interest? >> not for tonto. >> see, he doesn't get -- >> not for tonto, no. >> will you do your own tonto makeup? >> will i do my own tonto makeup? >> have you figured out will tonto -- will he have head dress?

one little feather? >> i think it's a little mor than that. i tell you what, i'll send you a picture of it. >> please. >> i've done some tests. i'll send you a picture of it. because it's -- it's a little -- it's a little different than that. what i like about tonto, what i feel good about in terms of tonto is that i feel like he's, you know, when i -- when i came up with captain jack, i thought, okay. i've really arrived at something, you know, different here, you know. tonto feels right on par with captain jack. it feels like another captain jack to me. >> are you doing a film about dr. seuss? >> it's something, yeah, something we're developing. with seuss's widow, you know. guisele's widow. it's a very exciting possibility. because it's a sort of combination of live action