Johnny Depp says Keith Richards is just ‘cool’

updated 2:31 p.m. ET May 17, 2007

NEW YORK - Johnny Depp has a man crush on Keith Richards, who has a small role in the new “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie.

Depp, who received an Oscar nomination for his work in the first “Pirates” film, said he drew inspiration for loopy pirate king Jack Sparrow from Richards.

“He was one of the people I admired for what he’s done and how he’s handled it,” the 43-year-old actor tells Rolling Stone magazine in its new issue, on newsstands Friday. “Forty-whatever years of being this god. And he’s just cool.”

The Rolling Stones guitarist agreed to play Sparrow’s father, Captain Teague, in “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” the third installment of the blockbuster film franchise.

“It was the right place at the right time with the right guys,” said Richards, 63, who was also interviewed.

Greg Baker / AP Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards has a cameo role as the father of Captain Jack Sparrow.

“Me, I’m just a musician,” Richards said. “And if the people like my stuff, thank God. It pushes me on to do more. And I want to do more. That’s something that you don’t factor in when you start this game.”

Richards said Depp and Mick Jagger have been the best at impersonating him.

“There’s been loads of wannabes,” he said. “But it’s all posing with a guitar. And not playing right, not looking right, so not being me. ... Really, it’s just in the bones and in the moves. You don’t know what attracts people to what you do.”

“You think, ‘Who’s the greatest rock ’n’ roll star? Who’s that charismatic and interesting?’ And you go, ‘Oh ... it’s Keith, isn’t it?”’ he said.

Had Richards seen the first two “Pirates” movies?

“Oh ... yeah,” he said. “How can you not with your grandkids around? I saw ‘Pirates’ one when it came out. ‘Pirates’ two I did fall asleep in, but I’d been up for three days.”

“I might have fallen asleep myself,” Depp replied.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” a Walt Disney Pictures release, is slated for release May 25.

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