Hollywood actor Johnny Depp was close friends with author Hunter S. Thompson and the two made a pact to bring his novel The Rum Diary to the big screen. Unfortunately, Hunter passed away before the movie was made, so Johnny Depp made sure that his presence was felt on set.
Johnny explained, "One of my last efforts to salute the man was to continue in our venture, forcing him, even in death, to be a producer." A chair with Thompson's name on it was on the set of The Rum Diary every day. There was also a script cover, an ashtray, cigarettes, an empty glass and a bottle of Chivas Regal whisky.
Depp added, "We had to utilise all these elements to recognise Hunter, to salute him. Bruce (Robinson) and I would arrive on set every morning, pour the glass full with Chivas Regal, dunk our fingers in, maybe take a sip and get on with the day, just to make sure Hunter was there. And he was, every day, every second, every moment, for us."
As well as Johnny Depp, The Rum Diary also stars Aaron Eckhart, Michael Rispoli and Amber Heard. The Rum Diary was released in the US on October 28 before hitting the big screen in the UK on November 11.
