Johnny Depp visits children's hospital as Captain Jack Sparrow

Actor spent nearly five hours taking photographs with patients and entertaining them and their families

Johnny Depp paid a visit to a children’s hospital in Vancouver, Canada dressed as his character from Pirates of the Caribbean, Captain Jack Sparrow.

The actor was in Vancouver filming for a new comedy drama, Richard Says Goodbye, when he took time out to meet the young patients.

Depp wore his full costume and reportedly remained in character for his entire visit to the BC Children’s Hospital. He was there for nearly five hours.

The 54-year-old spent his time posing for photographs and entertaining children and their families, and having foam sword fights with some of the patients.

BC Children’s Hospital foundation shared photos of the event to their Facebook page.

The hospital wrote: “Patients at BC Children’s Hospital were delighted by a visit today with one of the world’s most famous pirates, Captain Jack Sparrow. Actor Johnny Depp showed he has a heart of gold by spending more than 5 hours meeting one-on-one with every patient, from newborns to teens.”

BC Children’s Hospital is the province’s only full-service, paediatric acute care hospital. They care for children who are seriously ill or injured. Last year, more than 86,600 children were treated at the Children’s Hospital.

This is not the first time Depp has visited children in hospital as Captain Jack Sparrow.

In December 2016, the Hollywood star visited children staying in Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London ahead of Christmas. The actor’s daughter was previously admitted there in 2007 with kidney failure, and Depp claimed he returned to the hospital in character because it is ‘a gift’.

Speaking on the Graham Norton show then, Depp said “kids [in hospital] are so courageous but to be able to bring a smile or a giggle to the parent’s means everything in the world to me".