Hollywood star Johnny Depp “hugs and kisses” delighted staff at Birmingham curry house

Hollywood star Johnny Depp “hugged and kissed” delighted staff at the Varanasi restaurant in Broad Street on Sunday (5 June) as he prepared to join musician Jeff Beck on the Symphony Hall stage on Monday night. 

The iconic actor, aged 58, is reportedly staying at Birmingham’s Grand Hotel and was spotted by shocked fans in the city centre.

After the visit by Hollywood legend Tom Cruise at a Birmingham curry house another film star is in Birmingham to taste the delicious curries offered by the city.

Johnny Depp booked out the entire restaurant in Broad Street to accommodate his friend Jeff Beck and over two dozen members of the touring concert crew.

The staff at Varanasi were surprised and delighted by the booking and Depp posed with staff for selfies and autographs.

Mohammed Hussain, the operations manager at Varanasi, commented that Depp appeared relaxed, open and very welcoming, and the Pirates of the Caribbean star made time to engage in conversation with the staff.

Mr Hussain said: “He was very humble and he stayed to talk and greet everyone.

“He was really good with the children, but there was about 60 of us there and he didn’t leave one person without hugging or kissing them, or shaking their hands.”

Mr Hussain added that it was “a once in a lifetime opportunity” when the famous actor spoke to Mr Hussain’s three daughters who asked Depp to repeat Jack Sparrow’s lines from Pirates of the Caribbean films and also Willy Wonka’s lines from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The Hollywood star and his guests are said to have ordered vegetable samosas, king prawns, and chicken tikka shashlik.

Mr Hussain said Depp left a very generous tip for the food and service and never even looked at the bill.

Depp is currently travelling around the UK with Beck and appearing on stage and playing in the band.

The pair are planning on working together on an album.

In his recent stop in Kent he was spotted visiting the Folly Wildlife Rescue shelter where he hugged an orphaned badger cub.