What major movie actor's first role was in "A Nightmare On Elm Street"?

Johnny Depp’s first film role was in the 1984 horror movie A Nightmare on Elm Street. He played Glen Lantz, one of the teenagers targeted by Freddy Krueger in the original film.

Depp was not yet a major star when he auditioned. He reportedly accompanied his friend Jackie Earle Haley to the audition, but director Wes Craven’s daughters helped influence the casting after selecting Depp’s headshot. The role was originally imagined as a more conventionally athletic character, but Depp won the part despite not fitting that initial description.

In the film, Glen is Nancy Thompson’s boyfriend and falls asleep while studying. Freddy’s attack on Glen became one of the movie’s most memorable sequences, helping establish the franchise’s dream-versus-reality premise. The film was made on an estimated budget of $1.1 million and became a major success for New Line Cinema.

Depp’s next early film appearances included Private Resort in 1985 and Platoon in 1986. His later breakthrough came through television’s 21 Jump Street and films such as Edward Scissorhands, but A Nightmare on Elm Street remains his film debut.