Johnny Depp's Big Fear Will Surprise You

Johnny Depp is best known for appearing in blockbusters such as "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald," as well as cult classics like "Edward Scissorhands." Depp's private life has gotten public attention, particularly his alleged abuse of ex-wife Amber Heard. The relationship between Heard and Depp is the subject of an upcoming Discovery+ documentary, Deadline reports.

Variety noted in 2021 that Depp had a "highly organized and extremely online fandom," despite his supposed "career downswing." Apparently, the fandom led to his film "Minamata" being up for an Oscars Fan Favorite award in 2022. 

The controversial actor has played a range of twisted and even macabre characters, but you probably won't find him facing his biggest fear on screen. Depp has shared that a pretty common character is frightening to him — and he's not alone in that fear. So, what is Johnny Depp most afraid of?

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Johnny Depp supposedly is afraid of clowns, a fear also known as coulrophobia. "Something about the painted face, the fake smile," Depp reportedly stated in an interview for "Sleepy Hollow" (via Perez Hilton). "There always seemed to be a darkness lurking just under the surface, a potential for real evil," he added.

The fear of clowns is one of the most common phobias out there. Many people have been slightly unnerved and scared of them. Historically, clown mania was at its height when serial killer John Wayne Gacy was caught. Gacy terrorized Chicago from 1972 to 1978, and unfortunately for others in the profession, he worked as a clown for children's parties. As a registered clown, he wasn't a prime suspect, but Gacy "sexually assaulted most of his victims," per The New York Times.

Before police arrested him, Gacy told the officers, "You know... clowns can get away with murder" (via Smithsonian Magazine). The fear of clowns is (understandably) deeply embedded in pop culture, with different on-screen portrayals of creepy clowns. Johnny Depp isn't the only celebrity afraid of the characters; Daniel Radcliffe and P Diddy also reportedly have coulrophobia, per The Guardian.

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