Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance as Captain Jack Sparrow at the Niño Jesús University Children’s Hospital, in Madrid on Monday.
While dressed as his beloved Pirates of the Caribbean character, the movie star, 62, surprised kids, adolescents and their families while touring the oncology area of the health center.
His fans looked overjoyed as he visited their rooms while taking a break from filming his upcoming project, Day Drinker, alongside Penélope Cruz.
In the film, directed by Marc Webb, Depp stars as a mysterious guest on a lavish yacht drawn into a criminal web spun by Cruz’s character.
Day Drinker is currently shooting in Spain, where Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard resides with her daughter Oonagh Paige, four, and newborn twins Agnes and Ocean, who were born in May 2025.
The former couple had a highly publicized and messy divorce, following 15 months of marriage, which led to a series of legal battles, including defamation trials in both the UK and the US.
It’s not the first time Johnny has used his Disney character to spread joy.
In September, he thrilled youngsters at the Donostia University Hospital in San Sebastián as he got back in character to pay them a visit.
In a statement by Osakidetza-Basque Health Service, they revealed the Hollywood legend brought joy to the hospital as he ‘chatted, played and laughed with the children.’
‘They have shared laughs and anecdotes, and he has helped them forget for a few minutes the difficulties they are going through at the moment,’ they revealed. ‘It was a gift that brought joy to patients, families, nursing professionals, doctors and all the staff who were working on the ward at the time.’
During his visit, Johnny, who was pictured happily posing for pictures with the children and cradling the babies on the Pediatrics and Oncology ward, stayed in character the whole time so as not to ruin the illusion.
Back in 2022, he also dressed up as Captain Sparrow to send a sweet message of support to a fan amid his battle with a terminal heart condition.
The actor surprised YouTuber Kori with a video message and a phone call as Captain Jack Sparrow, telling him: ‘I wish you the best of luck, I’m your number one fan Captain Kori, all my respect and love.’
Kori has reportedly had two heart transplants and is in palliative care but wants to gain as many subscribers as possible while he can, which Johnny helped him with.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Johnny virtual visit the patients at Queensland Children’s Hospital.
‘It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been there and I miss it and I wanted to say hello,’ he said during the Juiced TV virtual visit.
He continued: ‘It’s a wonderful facility. I’m with all of you and I send you all my love, all my irreverence and ignorance, because it’s fun to be irreverent and ignorant. Thank you for sticking with me through all these very strange years.’
‘These three beautiful young people I’ve spoken with this evening and having heard from people who sent videos in, like little Ula, is one of the finest and most beautiful experiences that I’ve ever experienced and that is because of all of your commitment to this project and to taking care of one another and to helping out when times are curious and confusing.’
Johnny has always been a regular visitor to Great Ormond Street hospital in London, but the visits took on a new meaning in 2007 after his daughter Lily Rose, was treated there when she contracted e-coli poisoning, at the age of seven.
It was said to be ‘touch and go’ for Lily Rose for a while after the illness – which is commonly caused by improperly cooked meat, unpasteurised milk or water contamination – resulted in temporary kidney failure.
After her recovery, Johnny said on the Graham Norton Show: ‘When my daughter was ill in Great Ormond Street, it was the darkest period of my life. I’d always done these visits but after that experience the visits became more and more important.
‘The kids [at the hospital] are so courageous but to be able to bring a smile or a giggle to the parents means everything in the world to me.’
