Johnny Depp as Tonto?

Kim Fierce · Jul 8, 2013

OK, first of all I know absolutely nothing about The Lone Ranger, except it was a black-and-white TV show, he wore a mask, and said Hi-O, Silver.

So I saw a preview for Lone Ranger movie and was like whatever, and then I saw Johnny Depp was playing the role of The Lone Ranger's sidekick, Tonto.

First reaction: I LOVE JOHNNY DEPP!

Second reaction: Wait, this is weird.

I had to look it up just to double-check, but Tonto is supposed to be Native American. (Potowatami, according to Wikipedia. And not seen as a favorable character, either. I really have never seen even one episode, so I don't know how cringe-worthy the role really was.) As much as I love Johnny Depp, I would rather not see him in this role. Unless it is supposed to be a spoof of the TV show, did they have a white guy play Tonto then? I don't even know. I have heard the movie isn't doing well, but the only reason I would be interested is because I am a Depp fan. This weekend alone I watched Pirates of the Caribbean World's End and Edward Scissorhands. But I was still thrown for a loop by that one. Does anyone have any more info about this? And think it is weird?

Rachel Udin · Jul 8, 2013

This article covers it:
http://www.racebending.com/v4/history/johnny-depp-turns-down-pancho-villa-role/

Not the same tribe, but he is part Cheorkee (though the joke goes that everyone claims to be Cherokee--=P probably in bad taste too.)

BTW, I love Racebending, but you need to take it in doses, otherwise you start to feel this unending sense of hopelessness that it won't change. They do uplifting stuff too--such as petitions (Which I signed for Akira), activism and give heads up on some awesome stuff, but sometimes it's a bit hard to see the actual numbers and see how far we are from center.

alleycat · Jul 8, 2013

Just going by the promos I've seen it does look like a weird movie. Maybe they're aiming for a western version of Pirates.

And another, unrelated, piece of Johnny Depp strangeness: he lives in Nashville now (at least part of the time). He bought a house a few miles from where I live.

Cyia · Jul 8, 2013

There's actually already a longer thread about this: http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260498&highlight=ranger

katci13 · Jul 8, 2013

alleycat said:
And another, unrelated, piece of Johnny Depp strangeness: he lives in Nashville now (at least part of the time). He bought a house a few miles from where I live.

No way! Why on earth did you tell me this? Lol!

alleycat · Jul 8, 2013

katci13 said:
No way! Why on earth did you tell me this? Lol!

He bought a big house off of Hillsboro Pike near the Harpeth River.

katci13 · Jul 8, 2013

alleycat said:
He bought a big house off of Hillsboro Pike near the Harpeth River.

This makes my day. Lol!

But to say something on topic...I don't like him as Tonto. It's weird.

blacbird · Jul 9, 2013

Kim Fierce said:
As much as I love Johnny Depp, I would rather not see him in this role. Unless it is supposed to be a spoof of the TV show,

It pretty obviously is supposed to be a spoof, in a similar stylistic manner to the Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downie Jr., or Depp's own role in the regrettable Tim Burton reprise of Dark Shadows.

Kim Fierce said:
did they have a white guy play Tonto then?

No. The actor was Jay Silverheels, probably the first Native American actor of stature on TV, and despite the 1950s cultural naïveté, Silverheels' Tonto was a dignified character.

I can understand Native Americans today being offended by this portrayal, as well as by the casting. If the movie producers wanted to make a serious stab at a reproduction of the original Lone Ranger concept, no better actor could have been chosen for the Tonto role than the exceptional Adam Beach.

That Johnny Depp was chosen is a reflection of his descent into silly roles like Jack Sparrow and Barnabas Collins. Depp can be a really fine actor (What's Eating Gilbert Grape?), but he might be getting typecast in goofy, if lucrative, roles.

caw

Polenth · Jul 9, 2013

In the original series, Tonto was played by a Native American actor and was dressed in practical clothing. There was no bird-on-the-head and Tonto wasn't there for comedy. He didn't have any hint of magic powers.

The issues were things like his speaking broken English, when realistically he'd have been pretty fluent after all the adventuring with the Lone Ranger. And that his life revolved entirely around the Lone Ranger. These are things a remake could work on (we could see Tonto speaking English well and having his own goals). But the film seemed determined to do a worse job than the old black-and-white series, rather than improving on it.

For a more detailed breakdown of some of the issues, the Native Appropriations blog has a review. There are links at the bottom to older posts discussing the film. One issue of note is Tonto's costume is based on a painting by a non-Native artist, which the artist noted as being from his imagination and not historically accurate.

Basically, the whole film remake is based on what Depp thought would be cool. Not on making a film Native Americans can watch without cringing.

J.S.F. · Jul 9, 2013

You can argue how they should have had a Native American for the part--and I agree, Adam Beach would have been fine--or how well Tonto speaks English and so forth, but for me...

...the movie plain out and out sucked. It was poorly scripted, had lots of good explosions, decent stuntwork, it was loud, and altogether stupid.

Somewhere, Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels are turning over in their graves. Or laughing at this piece of shit. Or both.

This was a travesty.

blacbird · Jul 9, 2013

J.S.F. said:
...the movie plain out and out sucked.

Audiences everywhere seem to agree. It has tanked in spectacular fashion at the box office. Could go down as one of the biggest money-losers of all time.

caw

Xelebes · Jul 9, 2013

The critics here like Eli Glasner are panning it, calling it a grotesque and confused mash-up of a post-modern rethinking of the original and a sad-sack minstrel show.

Lavern08 · Jul 9, 2013

People are Taking this Tonto Portrayal Seriously???

alleycat said:
... Johnny Depp bought a house a few miles from where I live.

*Scurries to book a flight and hang out @ A/C's house*

Kim Fierce · Jul 9, 2013

I have heard that people didn't like the movie for other reasons. But yeah since I really had no idea about the history of any of it, wasn't sure what to think! I think I'll just stalk Depp in TN with the rest of you guys haha.

veinglory · Jul 9, 2013

It cost 200+ million to make and has earned less than 50 million. I doubt it will break even based on that.

Jcomp · Jul 10, 2013

veinglory said:
It cost 200+ million to make and has earned less than 50 million. I doubt it will break even based on that.

Well, it's only one week in. And after the international run it will almost certainly recoup the production cost, though it'll still be a massive disappointment and it's already performed far below the hopes and expectations of the studio.

Filigree · Jul 10, 2013

Gee, John Carter doesn't look so bad now, does it?

J.S.F. · Jul 10, 2013

Filigree said:
Gee, John Carter doesn't look so bad now, does it?

---

Yeah, it does, it really does.

Let's face it, both sucked, and for the same reason. Bad scripts. They were both big budget affairs, they had powerful movie studios backing them...and they just bit.

Too bad. I really wanted The Lone Ranger to be a good movie, but it's so bad it actually made The Legend of the Lone Ranger--the 1981 stinker with Klinton 'I got dubbed' Spillsbury in it--look good. And that version had better stunts and explosions in spite of the lack of CGI.

Ken · Jul 12, 2013

... watched Lone Ranger reruns as a kid.
Enjoyed 'em -- a lot.
Sure, there were stupid stereotypes.
But you know something?

All in all it portrayed two peeps of different ethnicities kicking it together.
Cool. And for the time when the series first aired, 1950's,
that was by no means a given.

Johnny Depp as Tonto?

Kim Fierce

Attack me with everything you have.

Rachel Udin

alleycat

Still around

Cyia

Rewriting My Destiny

katci13

creative genie

alleycat

Still around

katci13

creative genie

blacbird

Polenth

Mushroom

J.S.F.

Red fish, blue fish...

blacbird

Xelebes

Delerium ex Ennui

Lavern08

Sit Down, and Shut Up!

Kim Fierce

Attack me with everything you have.

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Jcomp

Filigree

Mildly Disturbing

J.S.F.

Red fish, blue fish...

Ken