Johnny Depp’s Unexpected Act of Kindness on the Set of Ed Wood—How He Stopped a Co-Star’s Mental Abuse

Johnny Depp’s name is often surrounded by controversy, but occasionally, stories emerge that show a very different side of the actor — one of loyalty, compassion, and standing up for others. One such instance, recently resurfaced, took place on the set of Tim Burton’s 1994 cult classic Ed Wood, where Depp intervened to protect his co-star Patricia Arquette from unsettling harassment by a fellow cast member.

Arquette, who played Kathy O’Hara in the biopic about the infamous B-movie director, recalled in an interview with The Daily Beast that she endured troubling behavior from one of the extras on set. The harassment wasn’t minor — the extra would whisper disturbing threats to her between takes, saying things like, “I’m going to kill myself because of you,” before snapping back into character as the cameras rolled. Arquette admitted that the relentless mental assault left her in a “very perilous mental state.”

Fortunately, Depp, whom Arquette had known since their teenage years navigating Hollywood’s early days, noticed what was happening — and stepped in. “Johnny went up to her and said, ‘Hey, listen, she hasn’t done anything to you, you have no right to spew that stuff out at her,’” Arquette recounted. “He was very chivalrous. He has a really calming effect on people. He completely stabilised her insanity.”

The identity of the harassing extra was not disclosed — perhaps wisely — but it’s safe to say the incident didn’t leave her with many future opportunities. Meanwhile, Depp’s intervention demonstrated a side of him that isn’t always spotlighted: a willingness to protect and advocate for colleagues under pressure.

Though Arquette clarified that she and Depp were never romantically involved, she reflected fondly on their early friendship, reminiscing about shared youthful adventures like drinking beers in the Canter’s Deli parking lot and being pushed around in a shopping cart wearing a kitchen strainer as a hat. Their careers, coincidentally, were both launched by the same franchise: Depp famously died at the hands of Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), while Arquette starred in its 1987 sequel Dream Warriors.

Of course, this single act of kindness doesn’t erase Depp’s complex and controversial history — including his highly publicized legal battles and past arrests — but it does offer a glimpse into a more layered portrait of the actor. Like many public figures, Depp remains a study in contradictions: capable of significant flaws, but also of moments of real integrity.

On the set of Ed Wood, at least, Johnny Depp did the right thing — reminding us that even in a world as chaotic as Hollywood, simple acts of courage and kindness can leave a lasting impact.