Lily-Rose Depp recently opened up about a rather peculiar childhood memory that has haunted her for years. As the offspring of Johnny Depp, the heartthrob behind the iconic Edward Scissorhands, it seems ironic that this particular role would send chills down her spine. Growing up in a household flooded with Hollywood and French glam, little Lily-Rose might have been expected to have nerves of steel. But it turns out, watching Tim Burton’s gothic romance at the tender age of three left her somewhat ‘traumatized.’ And no—it wasn’t Edward’s freaky scissor hands that did it.
The film released in 1990, depicts Johnny Depp as Edward, an artificial man with shears for fingers and a strangely innocent soul. Raised in a bubble of isolation, Edward finds himself the object of the town’s growing skepticism and eventual hostility. For a young Lily-Rose, it was the world’s reaction to Edward’s good nature yet bizarre appearance that evoked a visceral reaction. She told Harper’s Bazaar that the townspeople’s malevolent behavior towards the gentle protagonist deeply unsettled her. The experience was so profound that even now, she recalls feeling a sense of fear—not of Edward, but of humankind’s capacity for cruelty.
Fast-forward to today, and this childhood memory weaves its thematic web into her professional life. Lily-Rose, now 25, has embraced the darker and more complex narratives similar to those her father often engages in. She stars in Robert Eggers’ 2024 remake of Nosferatu alongside a cast that includes Willem Dafoe and Bill Skarsgård. According to her, playing Ellen Hutter is significantly enriched by her early exposure to characters like Edward. The empathy she felt for Depp’s misunderstood character shaped how she approached her new role, balancing the line between victim and enabler in the mysterious allure of the supernatural horror genre.
Ellen awakens the formidable Count Orlok, played by Skarsgård, who masterfully pairs terror with a poignant touch of humanity. The atmospheric depth found in Burton’s and Eggers’ works parallels the moral complexity that Depp finds so intriguing. With Nosferatu looming on the cinematic horizon, it’s safe to say that those early Deppian lessons in empathy and fear have prepared Lily-Rose for the intricacies of horror roles.
Closing Credits
Lily-Rose Depp’s reminisces serve both as a poignant reminder of how formative early cinematic experiences can be and as a bridge between her past in Hollywood royalty and future in the haunting world of gothic cinema. Nosferatu, set for a 2024 release, is another chapter in her journey through nuanced, darker roles, guided by the shadow of Edward Scissorhands. Not all traumas lead to tragedy; some set the stage for a promising career exploring the macabre.
