Johnny Depp: Made Disney Nervous With His Flamboyant Portrayal of Capt. Jack Sparrow

Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Capt. Jack Sparrow in Disney’s blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean and its two sequels was good enough to earn the actor an Oscar no nomination for best actor.

But Depp, the cover story in the new Vanity Fair, that some Disney executives were initially skittish over his over-the-top flamboyant portrayal.

“They couldn’t stand him,” he tells rocker Patti Smith who did the interview. “They just couldn’t stand him. I think it was Michael Eisner, the head of Disney at the time, who was quoted as saying, ‘He’s ruining the movie.’ Upper-echelon Disney-ites, going, What’s wrong with him? Is he, you know, like some kind of weird simpleton? Is he drunk? By the way, is he gay?… And so I actually told this woman who was the Disney-ite… ‘But didn’t you know that all my characters are gay?’ Which really made her nervous.”

As we all know, it turned out well for everybody!

Jake Gyllenhaal's Hard Body Captured by Lego

Dozens of celebrities have been immortalized with wax replicas at Madame Tussauds, but how many people can boast a Lego miniature action figure?

Well, Jake Gyllenhaal for one. In honor of Disney’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Lego is releasing a set – including a mini-Jake figurine! – next year. The film will hit theaters May 28, 2010.

Disney Buys Marvel Entertainment

Bosses at entertainment powerhouse Walt Disney have agreed a multi-billion dollar deal to buy Marvel Entertainment - giving the company the rights to superheroes including Iron Man, Spider-man and the X-men .

Through the agreement, valued at around $4 billion, the company will take on the extensive library of over 5,000 Marvel Comics characters, which also include the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, Thor and Captain America.

Robert A. Iger, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company, says, "We believe that adding Marvel to Disney's unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation. We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney."

Jake Pumps Up to Play Disney's Newest Prince

No Disney magic is required to buff up Jake Gyllenhaal.

As the newly released ad displays, the scruffy hottie is set to heat up screen in May 2010 as Prince Dastan in the studio's Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, based on the video game that's been popular since 1989.

Also starring Alfred Molia (Doc Ock of Spider-Man 2) as Sheik Amar, it tells of a rogue prince (Gyllenhaal) who teams up with a rival princess (Gemma Arterton) to stop an angry ruler (Oscar winner Ben Kingsley) from destroying the mortal world with a mighty sandstorm.

Makes Brokeback Mountain sound like kids' stuff.

Voice Of Mickey Mouse Dies

The man who gave Mickey Mouse a voice for the last 30 years has died.

Vocal artist Wayne Allwine, 62, passed away of complications from diabetes on Monday, with his wife Russi Taylor - the voice of Minnie Mouse - at his bedside.

Allwine joined Disney in 1966 as a mail room attendant and went on to work in the sound effects department. In 1977, he became the third man to provide a voice for the company's iconic cartoon character, after Walt Disney and Jimmy MacDonald.

His falsetto will live on at Disney theme parks around the world, as well as in films such as 1983's Mickey's Christmas Carol and 1988's Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Roy E. Disney, the director emeritus for The Walt Disney Co., has paid tribute to Allwine, insisting he not only gave Mickey Mouse a voice but "a heart and soul as well." Disney adds, "He did an incredible job of bringing emotion, humour and appeal to the character."

Disney & Hulu Team Up!

Disney has teamed up with the streaming video site "Hulu". Hulu, which was founded by NBC Universal and News Corp, will now have the ability to "broadcast" many of your favorite ABC and Disney shows.

Here’s just some of your favorite programming that will be made available on Hulu soon:

– Full-length episodes of ABC shows like Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty, Samantha Who?, Scrubs, Private Practice and Jimmy Kimmel Live!

– Select Disney Channel shows like Wizards of Waverly Place and Phineas & Ferb

– Popular library titles from The Walt Disney Studios

Soon, everything will all be online!

Hugh Jackman is a Disneyland Dude

Wolverine Hugh Jackman met Mickey Mouse outside Sleeping Beauty Castle with wife Deborra-Lee, 53, son Oscar, 8, and daughter Ava, 3, on Thursday (April 23) at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

The 40-year-old Aussie actor just returned to the U.S. after a worldwide tour to promote his movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine coming out May 1.

Earlier today, Hugh announced on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show that after a contest he held on his own Twitter, he has split a $100,000 donation between Charity: Water and Operation of Hope.

Movie Preview: Sandra Bullock & Ryan Reynolds in Disney's "The Proposal"

Disney has unveiled the first full trailer for The Proposal, a big summer comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds.

In the beginning, the two hate each other, as one is an asshole boss (Bullock), while the other is a troublesome assistant (Reynolds). Due to a technicality, the boss fakes her marriage to her assistant in order to prevent from being deported. In essence, the concept is like I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, but with a real heterosexual couple.

Admittedly, this trailer doesn't look that bad. And if you didn't think Sandra Bullock could look attractive anymore, then watch this, I'm sure you might change your mind.

Watch the first trailer for The Proposal:


In addition to Bullock and Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White, Denis O'Hare, and Malin Akerman all appear in the movie as well.

Disney will debut The Proposal in theaters everywhere on June 12, 2009.