Inspector Abberline (Johnny Depp) finds himself assigned to the Ripper investigation in FROM HELL
© 20th Century Fox

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FROM HELL to Eternity

Doing all he can to "not" look attractive, Johnny Depp walks into the interview sporting a zoot suit and long stringy hair part of it highlighted blond. He looks nothing like his PEOPLE magazine 50 Most Beautiful People photograph, however, image has never been a concern of the actor's. After years of dating actresses and supermodels, trashing hotel rooms, getting into tussles with paparazzi and then finally leaving America to live in Paris, Depp is still not ready to conform.

And his career choices as of late reflect just that. Having played cocaine guru George Jung in the underrated BLOW earlier this year, Depp switches accents and gears to portray inspector Frederick Abberline, the real life investigator assigned to the Jack the Ripper murders, for the comic book adaptation of FROM HELL.

Admitting to a morbid fascination with "Saucy Jack" since the ripe age of seven or eight, the 38-year-old Depp says he "sponged up as much information on the case" as he could prior to the Hughes Brothers, Allen and Albert, ever approaching him about playing the detective assigned to the infamous case. Additionally, he felt the Hughes Brothers, who also directed MENACE II SOCIETY and DEAD PRESIDENTS, had an interesting outlook of their own on the notorious killer.

"They came to my house with books they had put together of images that weren't even related to the Ripper case," says Depp. "The imagery that inspired them was something they wanted to feel in the film. Those guys really got me excited about it."

Johnny Depp as real life cocaine guru George Jung in BLOW

© 2001 New Line Cinema

Working on the set with two directors proved no problem for Depp who says each added their own strengths to the production.

"They both have their own very specific world beginning with Albert who is more of the sort of technical one dealing with the frame of the shot," says Depp. "And then Allen would be dealing with the actors and mostly the script stuff, so you'd go to each for specific things."

Of course, having two brothers working together on the same movie did create a sort of family feel on the set.

"It's really funny to watch them fight," jokes Depp. "When they disagree on stuff it's like, 'Yo man, what you doing man? Hey, hey, hey man.' It's like watching the family fight on the porch."

When push came to shove, however, the brothers were completely professional and dedicated to the material.

"Their particular take on the story and their vision and their action to tell the story and what it meant to them," explains Depp, "was impressive."

FROM HELL revolves around infamous murderer Jack the Ripper who caused a 10-week frenzy amongst the people of London in the late 19th century. While he was never caught, various theories observed by scores of authors prompted public discussions and a handful of films devoted to the topic. FROM HELL, a popular graphic novel by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, prompted the Hughes Brothers to bring this version to the big screen. The novel focuses on the politics of the case and the celebrity it invokes. Moore's interpretation, one of the top three or four according to Depp, was not the actor's personal favorite, but it was one he respected and was intrigued by.

Inspector Abberline (Johnny Depp) finds himself assigned to the Ripper investigation in FROM HELL

© 20th Century Fox

"When I got a hold of the graphic novel, I saw the amount of research that was done," says Depp. "The attention to detail, it's like watching someone solve an incredibly elaborate math problem. It was beautifully executed."

The foremost theory in Depp's mind comes from author Stewart P. Evans in the form of THE LODGER, a now out-of-print novel that depicts Jack the Ripper as an American Black doctor named Francis.

"If THE LODGER theory is true, than America actually gave birth to the serial killer," says Depp.

He continues, "The Ripper case, from what I can tell, was the first time that a killer or murderer especially a faceless murderer was sort of elevated to the status of an icon in a way... to a celebrity. He was given celebrity. There became a worldwide fascination at that time."

With Depp having a rabid interest in the Ripper case, it seems only fitting that he play the investigator trying to solve the murders. Additionally, Inspector Frederick Abberline granted Depp the ability to explore some of his own personal curiosities on screen. As with many of his roles, he added his own special touch to the character, choosing which accent to use and, in turn, adding some mystery behind the inspector.

Directors Allen Hughes (left) and Albert Hughes (right) discuss a scene with Johnny Depp on the set of FROM HELL

© 20th Century Fox

"I thought we could take him and add a few things," explains Depp. "Multiply his demons in a way to something I found interesting and find interesting in police officers. There have been a great number of documented cases where police officers admit to alcoholism and prescription drug use and non prescription drug use just because of the nature of their work. Having to be out there in that world in the streets doing what they have to be doing. Dealing with what they have to deal with."

Of course, Abberline's real accent was from the West Country, but Depp felt that if he stayed true to Abberline's speech then audiences would think it nothing more than the actor doing a bad English accent. Next, he thought of a Manchester accent but decided against it when he realized subtitles would be needed just to understand him. The accent he ended up using seemed the best compromise between authenticity and clarity.

"The idea of the South London accent would say more about Abberline and show that he was in fact from the streets - the working class - and not from a privileged background."

There was one character trait of Abberline's that was clear from the start for Depp.

"I felt that Abberline was probably inebriated most of the time," jokes Depp.

Johnny Depp and Heather Graham investigate a series of murders involving Jack the Ripper in FROM HELL

© 2001 20th Century Fox

Bringing to the actor's attention that his most recent roles including the drug lord Jung, SLEEPY HOLLOW's Ichabod Crane and the homeless gypsies in CHOCOLAT and THE MAN WHO CRIED involve characters of a dark nature, Depp seems dumbfounded by the notion that this is an intentional career move.

"I don't know," ponders Depp. "I'm not sure if it's just the way the cards are played or if this is my bleak period. I don't know. I am just exploring that. I'll either be a mime or a clown in the next one."

Playing an inspector in FROM HELL and examining the unsolved murder onscreen, however, has hardly dimmed or gotten out of his system his complete intrigue with the case.

"It's the first type of serial killer and nothing had ever happened before on such a grand scale," says Depp. "I think the most fascinating thing is that it is unsolved. And it seems pretty guaranteed that it will always be unsolved."