A poster for The Lone Ranger.

Actor Johnny Depp says he wanted to put new spin on the role of Tonto in the film version of The Lone Ranger.

Depp, who has claimed Indian heritage, didn't want Tonto to merely be a sidekick. Part of his goal was to infuse Indian humor into his performance.

At a fan appearance in Las Vegas, Depp said he wanted “to give as much back to the human beings, the Native Americans as possible; to show that they have a fantastic sense of humor, very dry," the Associated Press reported.

“The goal was to try to, in my own small way, right the many wrongs that have been done to those people and to show Tonto not only as a proud warrior but also as a man outside, just a bit outside,” Depp added, according to the AP.

The film will be released July 3.

Get the Story:
‘Lone Ranger’ aims to make Johnny Depp’s Tonto more than a sidekick (AP 4/17)

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