He may have been awake since 3am and filming all day in open waters on Moreton Bay, but that didn’t stop Hollywood star Johnny Depp from greeting the hundreds of locals who cheered him as he returned to dry land at Raby Bay at around 4.30pm on Tuesday.
As he walked through the crowd, dressed in full Jack Sparrow costume, he graciously paused for a selfie here, a handshake there, clearly enjoying the Redlands-style welcome.
Depp, who flew into Brisbane from Los Angeles on Monday, is currently in Redland City, filming for the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie, Dead Men Tell No Tales.
Speaking at Raby Bay exclusively to Redland City Bulletin, a source close to Depp and spokesman for the production said the cast and crew were delighted with the reception they had been shown by locals.
“We came here because it has the perfect conditions to do the shooting on the open sea for the sequence,” he said.
“We have also had wonderful co-operation from the city.
“Filming has been great overall.
“We’ve been filming with some of the best crew in the world, in some of the best locations in the world, in a great country and in a great state for filming.”
When asked what he thought of the Redlands, Depp said it was “a beautiful location” and he was enjoying his time here.
“I love it here and I love being in Australia,” he said.
“I’m having a great time."
On behalf of the cast and crew, the spokesman thanked the Redlands for “the hospitality and for making us all feel so welcome”.
Redland mayor Karen Williams also welcomed the cast and crew and said the filming was “exciting for the Redlands”.
“This is the third time international stardom has been on the shores of Redland City and today community spirit is alive and well, with hundreds of people coming out to make sure the cast and crew feel welcome,” she said.
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