# Johnny Depp is Tonto **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 13, 2008, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-is-tonto/467683 "2008-10-13T05:55:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-is-tonto/467683/21 "2008-10-13T17:45:41Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Shouldn’t… > > Shouldn’t… um… > > Shouldn’t the actor playing Tonto be a Native American? > > I would have thought? I’m with you on this one. Depp’s about as Cherokee as my cat. Wes Studi and all the other Native Americans must have been busy that week, along with all of the Hispanic actors who are part Apache, Comanche, Navajo, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-is-tonto/467683/22 "2008-10-13T17:46:19Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > I wonder when the producers will decide to run the word “Tonto” by a Spanish translator? I thought this was a pitting of Johnny Depp and rushed in to defend him… Interesting you should bring that up, because [here’s the story of how Tonto got his name.](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18195323) Basically, the writer was looking around for a name, spotted [Tonto Basin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonto_Basin,_Arizona) on a map, and figured that’d be the perfect name for the Lone Ranger’s sidekick. No idea of how that place came to be named, however. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-is-tonto/467683/23 "2008-10-13T18:10:25Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Interesting you should bring that up, because [here’s the story of how Tonto got his name.](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18195323) Basically, the writer was looking around for a name, spotted [Tonto Basin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonto_Basin,_Arizona) on a map, and figured that’d be the perfect name for the Lone Ranger’s sidekick. No idea of how that place came to be named, however. Good thing it wasn’t N\*\*\*\*\* basin I guess… All I’m saying is it really is not a good idea to have a guy playing and indian side kick named “Stupid” in this day and age no matter how innocent the origin. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-is-tonto/467683/24 "2008-10-13T18:10:43Z")
Also, if Depp plays this like any of his earlier roles I vote for Tonto Tomahawkhands. That would be awesome. ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-is-tonto/467683/25 "2008-10-13T18:23:46Z")
Maybe they’ll handle the fact that Tonto is being played by a white guy in a thoughtful, interesting manner. Like, his grandmother _may_ have been half-Apache if family stories are to be believed and Tonto decided to embrace this part of his ancestry despite the fact that he’s 7/8’s European. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-is-tonto/467683/26 "2008-10-13T18:40:48Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > I am ignorant of such things-what is the tone of the comic book series? It’s fairly serious and occasionally gritty in sort of an EC comics way, but the Ranger retains his trademark look, silver bullets, Silver, his morals (mostly), etc.. It’s quite cinematic in its presentation and features some [stunning](http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/images/0803/lrt1.jpg) [covers](http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k319/MadMikeyD/LR%20Comic%20Collection/DE6.jpg) [courtesy](http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k319/MadMikeyD/LoneRanger0CoverDW1003.jpg) [of](http://www.dynamicforces.com/images/LR7Litho.jpg) [John](http://www.lonerangerfanclub.com/images/LoneRanger3CassadayCover.jpg) [Cassaday](http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k319/MadMikeyD/LoneRanger5Cover.jpg) (all images safe for work). ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-is-tonto/467683/27 "2008-10-13T19:57:30Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > Good thing it wasn’t N\*\*\*\*\* basin I guess… > > All I’m saying is it really is not a good idea to have a guy playing and indian side kick named “Stupid” in this day and age no matter how innocent the origin. Could be they are not making the next _Dances With Wolves_. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-is-tonto/467683/28 "2008-10-13T20:31:55Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > All I’m saying is it really is not a good idea to have a guy playing and indian side kick named “Stupid” in this day and age no matter how innocent the origin. I think the overwhelming majority of offenderati will have to be told they’re supposed to be offended first. If it turns out “lone ranger,” in Chinese, sorta sounds like “child molester,” I guess they’ll just have to dub that when it releases there. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-is-tonto/467683/29 "2008-10-13T21:07:37Z")
Of course, with Depp and Clooney (_George Clooney_, geez - the man whose best acting makes most C-listers look like Patrick Stewart), they may be going for a straight-up old-style Lone Ranger for nostalgia value. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-is-tonto/467683/30 "2008-10-16T07:30:43Z")
Y’all excuse me if this has been mentioned, but just as “Tonto” means “Fool” in Spanish, so too does “Depp” mean fool in German. I just love the irony of that! Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-is-tonto/467683/31 "2008-10-16T07:45:45Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Shouldn’t… > > Shouldn’t… um… > > Shouldn’t the actor playing Tonto be a Native American? > > I would have thought? Well, it wouldn’t be the first time Depp had played such a role. He was very impressive in [The Brave](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118768/). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-is-tonto/467683.md?page=1)