by Johnny Depp has captivated audiences for decades with his dynamic on-screen presence and ability to transform into vastly different characters. Though he is now known for offbeat roles in films like Edward Scissorhands, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Sweeney Todd, Depp first captured the public’s imagination as a teen heartthrob in the 1990 musical comedy Cry-Baby. In the film, Depp plays Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker, the leader of a group of rebellious 1950s greasers called the “Drapes.” Cry-Baby falls in love with a girl from the right side of the tracks named Allison Vernon-Williams, played by Amy Locane. Their forbidden romance drives the film’s narrative and culminates in an iconic scene where the couple shares a passionate first kiss in a carnival funhouse. This moment marks Johnny Depp’s first-ever on-screen kiss and a pivotal early role that propelled his career to new heights.
At the time Cry-Baby was filmed, Depp was still a relative newcomer to Hollywood with only a handful of film credits to his name, though he had found fame on the TV series 21 Jump Street. Given his lack of experience, it’s no surprise Depp felt nervous leading up to the kiss scene with Locane, unsure if he could pull off the mix of intimacy and intensity the moment called for. “I’d never kissed anyone on film before. I was anxious to get it right but also excited because I knew the kiss was an important part of the story,” Depp reflected later in interviews.
Fortunately, Depp’s natural charisma and smoking hot chemistry with Locane ensured the scene was a sizzling success. Set in a carnival funhouse hall of mirrors, the context for the kiss couldn’t be more stylistically suited to Cry-Baby’s retro-kitsch aesthetics and themes of teenage rebellion. Locane’s Allison is initially timid when they enter the whirling, kaleidoscopic space, intimidated by the risky step outside her good girl image. Ever the smooth operator, Depp’s Cry-Baby confidently assures her: “Ain’t nobody ever gonna see us in here” before pulling her in close. Surrounded by endless reflections of their embrace, they close their eyes and share a passionate kiss, melting Allison’s inhibitions away.
The electrifying energy between Depp and Locane elevated the scene to iconic status, perfectly encapsulating Cry-Baby’s spirited, tongue-in-cheek essence. Their palpable chemistry telegraphed Cry-Baby’s irresistible cool factor and Allison’s liberating submission to her own desires. The memorable setting in the carnival funhouse visually symbolized Allison’s orderly world spinning out of control under Cry-Baby’s spell. Enhanced by period-appropriate rock and roll, the kissing scene channeled all the daring, hormonal thrill of teenage romance.
Beyond its entertainment value, the moment also showcased Depp’s potential as a versatile leading man. Though he first became famous playing an undercover cop on 21 Jump Street, his portrayal of Cry-Baby Walker proved his ability to extend his appeal into more provocative terrain. With his leather jacket, greased pompadour, and hip-thrusting musical numbers, Depp shed his wholesome image and tap into an edgier charisma that electrified audiences. After Cry-Baby, casting agents could envision him in casiolwider range of roles that better reflected his acting chops.
The on-screen kiss also forged an enduring friendship and mutual respect between Depp and Locane. Though they shared a brief three-month romance off-screen, they transitioned smoothly back to platonic friendship after production ended. “We just looked at each other and burst out laughing. All that anxiety leading up to this kiss, but it was perfect,” Locane fondly shared later about their relaxed, gracious dynamic on set. Their natural chemistry comes through vibrantly in the funhouse kiss scene, engrained in cinema history as an iconic moment.
Thirty plus years later, that spontaneous kiss in Cry-Baby remains one of Johnny Depp’s most memorable on-screen moments. It provided a launching pad to showcase his versatility and sex appeal as a Hollywood star. Against the backdrop of Depp’s recent personal turmoil and legal struggles, the kiss scene endures untarnished, eternally crystallizing the maxim that Depp and Cry-Baby sang: “Ain’t no crime to be glad you’re alive!” For Depp fans, this youthful, exuberant lip lock will always elicit nostalgia for the beautifully rebellious heartthrob he once was.
