Johnny Depp: All my characters are gay

New York - Johnny Depp's flamboyant portrayal of Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean was good enough for an Oscar nomination, but the actor says Disney was less than thrilled.

Depp talked about it in an interview with rocker Patti Smith for the January edition of Vanity Fair magazine. Depp said Disney "couldn't stand" his Sparrow and one person there even asked if Sparrow was gay. Depp told the Disney executive "all my characters are gay", and he said that "really made her nervous".

Depp's next role is in the movie The Tourist with Angelina Jolie. It opens in South African theatres in January 2011.

Depp said he felt sorry for the way the paparazzi hunted Jolie, and had to be careful that photographers didn't catch them too close together so rumours wouldn't start.