Johnny Depp has told how he “fell in love” with hellraiser Shane MacGowan the first time he met him.
Depp spoke at the San Sebastian Film Festival where a movie about The Pogues frontman premiered on Saturday.
The Hollywood star is a producer of the documentary, Crock of Gold – A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan – directed by Englishman Julien Temple.
Depp said: “When I met Shane he was negotiating a pool table. There was a drink in this hand, a pint, and in this hand there was a guitar.
“And he was teetering, balancing back and forth trying to negotiate which way to fall. I watched him do that for about 15 minutes.
“Then I was introduced to him, before he fell, and from that moment on you just knew... there are moments in life when you know this will happen one time and one time only, when you get the opportunity to spend time with greatness.”
Depp, 57, wore a face mask designed by MacGowan’s partner Victoria Mary Clarke to the first airing of the new movie.
He said: “Having known him [McGowan] a long, long time I can only say I fell in love with him the second I met him and I’m still in love with him to this day.
“His wife Victoria is a wonderful partner for Shane, they’re best friends, and I’ve seen that continue over these many years under all kinds of duress.”
Clarke tweeted: “Shane and Johnny are like two very powerful four-year-olds who have all of the toys and they will only play when they want to play ... it was very funny trying to watch anyone try and manage that.”
