'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl' (2003)
In the role that turned the indie kid into blockbuster gold, Depp brought to life the character of Captain Jack Sparrow, the gold-toothed, dreadlocked buccaneer who teams up with blacksmith Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) to save Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) from the undead crew of the Black Pearl. Depp brought an originality and vibrancy to the swashbuckling role that proved to be a roaring success, spawning three sequels.