#FunFact: Lord Krishna inspired Pirates of the Caribbean's Jack Sparrow
What's the story
'Pirates of the Caribbean' is a popular franchise that made Johnny Depp's name synonymous with Captain Jack Sparrow. Over the years, some of the franchise's films have fared worse than others, but Jack Sparrow commands the same amount of love and adoration. Interestingly, created by screenwriters Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott, the witty pirate with a penchant for trouble was inspired by Lord Krishna!
The character
How is Jack Sparrow in the movies?
'Take what you can, give nothing back', is Jack Sparrow's motto. A pirate with an affinity for rum, Jack is driven by pure desire. His broken compass, literally and morally, is a testament to it. However, Jack is also known for his wit, negotiable nature and occasional treachery. Most importantly, what characterizes Jack is his bravery in the face of adversity and defiance of authority.
Do you know?
A heady combination of Lord Krishna and Keith Richards
Johnny Depp himself based the mannerisms of Jack Sparrow and the personality on The Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards and the cartoon skunk Pepe Le Pew. However, the broader character strokes, as drawn by the scriptwriters, drew inspiration from the Hindu God, Krishna.
Writer's point
What did the scriptwriter say about the inspiration?
Ted Elliott, the screenwriter, commented, "The characterization of Sparrow is based on Lord Krishna who is a major deity in Hinduism. While writing the character sketch of Jack Sparrow, we referred to the description of Lord Krishna, various shades of the Almighty, which helped us a lot in making the whole character of Jack Sparrow into existence". Truly, inspiration strikes from all quarters.
Similarities
The similarities between Jack Sparrow and Lord Krishna
Lord Krishna inspired Jack Sparrow's characterization with his attributes of wit and cunningness in troublesome situations. However, what strikes this author most is that both held a strong defiance of authoritative figures and had a tendency for mischief. Furthermore, Jack and Lord Krishna both recognized which opportunities were right, and that is how they always stayed on top of situations.