Title: Johnny's standin in Columbus
Karen - March 11, 2008 10:07 PM (GMT)
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/column/276603
TUE., MAR 11, 2008 - 1:44 PM
Conklin: Depp doubles rise to the occasion
Melanie Conklin
mconklin@madison.com
It's hard to think of a better conversation-starter at a party or when interviewing for a sound tech job in Hollywood than "I was a stand-in for Johnny Depp."
That's something it appears Madison Media Institute student Kurt Szempruch will be doing Monday on the set of the movie "Public Enemies," filming in Columbus.
"We have very limited information, but I got a phone call last week saying they most likely want me to be a Johnny Depp stand-in," says Szempruch. "The only other things they told me were to free up the next few weeks of my life and don 't cut my hair."
Szempruch went to the casting call at Monona Terrace last month and was pulled from the line. It turns out he is the same weight, height and jacket size as Depp. That makes him ideal for standing in for Depp while sound and lighting are set up, perhaps walking through some lines or scenes.
The 24-year-old Gurnee, Ill., native will graduate from the sound/audio program at his school in May and says he's very interested in doing sound for films. He currently works for Badger State DJs mixing music in clubs around town.
"When I tell people, the reaction is usually, Why I didn't know Johnny Depp was that ... ' They pause and I say, Short?'"
Depp and Szempruch are about 5 feet 9 inches tall.
It seems that height was a key at the casting call, as Allen Hutchinson, another Madison Media Institute student who was selected, is also about 5-foot-9. But he's going to be on camera, rather than posing as Depp.
Hutchinson, who is known as "Hutch" as a musician and producer around Madison, concurs that details are sketchy. He says, "I've been told I'm going to be in an outdoor scene, fully wardrobed."
He too was told not to cut his hair and not to tan because they want him pale, but he has an appointment today that could last up to eight hours for cutting, dyeing or whatever else the folks from Universal want to do to ready him.
"Hopefully I 'll be a public enemy," he says. "I was picked due to my height, my pigmentation and my hair."
For Hutchinson, this is another lucky break in what's been a good year following a lousy one.
In February 2006, the Kenosha native was in a "horrible" car accident that injured his head and back, ruined a new car he'd saved years to purchase and caused him to miss school and go into debt with medical bills.
"It's literally been quite a pain, but now good things are happening for me," says Hutchinson. "I won Mountain Dew's Battle of the Bands, I got this role and in May I'll be graduating. "
TUE., MAR 11, 2008 - 1:44 PM
Conklin: Depp doubles rise to the occasion
Melanie Conklin
mconklin@madison.com
It's hard to think of a better conversation-starter at a party or when interviewing for a sound tech job in Hollywood than "I was a stand-in for Johnny Depp."
That's something it appears Madison Media Institute student Kurt Szempruch will be doing Monday on the set of the movie "Public Enemies," filming in Columbus.
"We have very limited information, but I got a phone call last week saying they most likely want me to be a Johnny Depp stand-in," says Szempruch. "The only other things they told me were to free up the next few weeks of my life and don 't cut my hair."
Szempruch went to the casting call at Monona Terrace last month and was pulled from the line. It turns out he is the same weight, height and jacket size as Depp. That makes him ideal for standing in for Depp while sound and lighting are set up, perhaps walking through some lines or scenes.
The 24-year-old Gurnee, Ill., native will graduate from the sound/audio program at his school in May and says he's very interested in doing sound for films. He currently works for Badger State DJs mixing music in clubs around town.
"When I tell people, the reaction is usually, Why I didn't know Johnny Depp was that ... ' They pause and I say, Short?'"
Depp and Szempruch are about 5 feet 9 inches tall.
It seems that height was a key at the casting call, as Allen Hutchinson, another Madison Media Institute student who was selected, is also about 5-foot-9. But he's going to be on camera, rather than posing as Depp.
Hutchinson, who is known as "Hutch" as a musician and producer around Madison, concurs that details are sketchy. He says, "I've been told I'm going to be in an outdoor scene, fully wardrobed."
He too was told not to cut his hair and not to tan because they want him pale, but he has an appointment today that could last up to eight hours for cutting, dyeing or whatever else the folks from Universal want to do to ready him.
"Hopefully I 'll be a public enemy," he says. "I was picked due to my height, my pigmentation and my hair."
For Hutchinson, this is another lucky break in what's been a good year following a lousy one.
In February 2006, the Kenosha native was in a "horrible" car accident that injured his head and back, ruined a new car he'd saved years to purchase and caused him to miss school and go into debt with medical bills.
"It's literally been quite a pain, but now good things are happening for me," says Hutchinson. "I won Mountain Dew's Battle of the Bands, I got this role and in May I'll be graduating. "
deppaholic - March 11, 2008 11:11 PM (GMT)
Thanks, Karen!
(Johnny's stand-in, Kurt Szempruch--his photo appears in the images section of the link.)
Rose
(Johnny's stand-in, Kurt Szempruch--his photo appears in the images section of the link.)
Rose
Karen - March 11, 2008 11:23 PM (GMT)
Thanks for the correct pic! :D
herestoyou - March 12, 2008 01:13 AM (GMT)
Aww, what a nice story and I'm so happy this is all happening for him. What a great job! Nice looking young man as well. :)
-Donna
-Donna
Chrissy M. - March 12, 2008 01:42 AM (GMT)
Thanks for the welcome! It was really exciting!!! One thing I forgot to mention is the thrill I got of watching some of the older people walking along smiling and laughing about all the memories this is bringing back to them. It was like they were kids again walking on mainstreet. How often can any of us do that!!! We will be going back....
Sparrowette - March 12, 2008 02:22 AM (GMT)
Good luck to him. Nice looking young man too.
That is very exciting for him.
Yvonne in LA woohoo
That is very exciting for him.
Yvonne in LA woohoo
Amy - March 12, 2008 08:04 AM (GMT)
| QUOTE (Sparrowette @ Mar 11 2008, 09:22 PM) |
| Good luck to him. Nice looking young man too. |
I absolutely agree! :)
I hope he's gonna have a great time (which I'm sure he will). It must be an amazing experience!
SavvyAngelUK - March 12, 2008 08:36 AM (GMT)
What an incredible phone call to get. I bet when he went to that casting call that he wasn't expecting that :P
What a great opportunity and I hope it all goes well for him.
What a great opportunity and I hope it all goes well for him.
ItDeppends - March 12, 2008 02:27 PM (GMT)
What happy news! He is a cutie too. I hope this furthers his hopes and dreams.
Deppends
Deppends
ReadinDeppth - March 12, 2008 03:57 PM (GMT)
The 24-year-old Gurnee, Ill., native
OMG, Gurnee???? Very local boy does good!
That's fantastic!
Holly woohoo woohoo
OMG, Gurnee???? Very local boy does good!
That's fantastic!
Holly woohoo woohoo
shadowdog - March 12, 2008 04:17 PM (GMT)
Anybody want to take bets that this STILL won't end the debate over "How tall is Johnny Depp?" :shistle
Amy - March 12, 2008 09:39 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (shadowdog @ Mar 12 2008, 11:17 AM) |
| Anybody want to take bets that this STILL won't end the debate over "How tall is Johnny Depp?" :shistle |
Haha. That's exactly what I thought too, when I first read the article. Well I guess someone just should ask Johnny how tall he is, the next time anyone meets him at a premiere or anywhere else! *g* I'm sure he'd be confused...I would be anyway, if someone asked me that...but on the other hand he might already knows about the ongoing height debate on the message boards and just smiles at us! *g*