Indianz.Com > In The Hoop > In The Hoop: Johnny Depp is part Cherokee, eager to play Tonto

January 18, 2011

In The Hoop: Johnny Depp is part Cherokee, eager to play Tonto

Did you know actor/pirate/moustache Johnny Depp is part Cherokee? Well neither did we!

EW doesn't say whether Depp is enrolled anywhere (maybe the UKBs will take him -- definitely not the CNO, they are touchy about that kinda stuff) but they do have an EXCLUSIVE to report:

“I always felt Native Americans were badly portrayed in Hollywood films over the decades,” he says. “It’s a real opportunity for me to give a salute to them. Tonto was a sidekick in all the Lone Ranger series. [This film] is a very different approach to that partnership. And a funny one I think.”

So there you have it. Depp is going to make up for decades of bad movies about Indians by playing an Apache. Tune into Native America Calling at 1pm today to discuss how you feel about it!