Johnny Depp Says Tim Burton Made “Huge Sacrifices” for Him When His Daughter Lily-Rose Became Seriously Ill During the Filming of Sweeney Todd
Johnny Depp is looking back on one of the most emotional moments of his life and the friend who stood by him when he needed it most. In a recent reflection, the actor opened up about the deep bond he shares with filmmaker Tim Burton and the tremendous sacrifices Burton made for him during a devastating time — when Depp’s daughter, Lily-Rose Depp, fell gravely ill during the filming of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
The year was 2007, and Depp was in the middle of shooting one of his most acclaimed collaborations with Burton. The gothic musical, known for its haunting visuals and unforgettable performances, demanded long days and emotional intensity. But in the midst of production, Depp received the kind of news that makes everything else stop: his young daughter had become seriously ill. Lily-Rose, then just seven years old, was hospitalized in London with a severe E. coli infection that caused kidney failure. For Depp, nothing mattered anymore — not the movie, not his career, not the world outside the hospital walls.
He dropped everything to be by her side. “It was the darkest moment of my life,” Depp once said in earlier interviews, and now he recalls how Tim Burton responded without hesitation. Rather than pressure Depp to continue filming, Burton shut down the production entirely so that his friend could be with his daughter. It was a decision that came at a significant cost — the film’s budget ballooned, schedules were disrupted, and the entire cast and crew were put on hold. But to Burton, there was no question about what mattered most.
“Tim made huge sacrifices for me,” Depp said recently. “He understood that there was no way I could focus on anything but my daughter’s health. He just said, ‘Go. Be with her. We’ll wait.’ That’s not something everyone would do in this industry.”
Lily-Rose eventually made a full recovery, and when Depp returned to set, he did so with a new sense of gratitude — not only for his daughter’s health but also for the people who stood beside him during the darkest days. “When I walked back into the studio, Tim just gave me a hug. No words were needed,” Depp shared. “That’s the kind of man he is.”
The moment became one of the defining examples of their decades-long friendship. Depp and Burton, who have worked together on beloved films like Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, share a creative connection built on trust, loyalty, and mutual respect. But behind the cinematic partnership lies something more personal — a deep understanding between two people who have weathered life’s storms together.
Fans have long admired their collaborations, but hearing Depp speak about the human side of their relationship has added another layer of meaning to their work. Sweeney Todd went on to become a critical success, earning Depp an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Yet, for him, the true triumph of that time wasn’t in the accolades — it was in the life of his daughter and the friend who helped make sure he could be there for her.
Today, Lily-Rose Depp has grown into a star in her own right, following in her father’s footsteps with acting roles and modeling success. And as Johnny Depp reflects on that harrowing chapter, his gratitude toward Burton remains unwavering. “He didn’t just save a movie,” Depp said. “He gave me time — and that’s something you can never repay.”
