Now, I’m as big a Johnny Depp fan as anyone, and he is a vast improvement over last year’s pick, Hugh Jackman, but would it kill People to think outside the box? There are only a dozen or so real leading men in the entertainment industry—are they planning on rotating the title between them for the next 20 years? Anyhoo, other men in the issue include Ryan Reynolds (who I thought might/should win this year, given his amazing abs and upcoming role in the “Green Hornet” movie), Robert Pattinson (duh), Bradley Cooper, the guys from “Glee,” and Mr. Mariah Carey Nick Cannon. Who wins your vote for sexiest man alive? [People]

Brad Pitt, eternally hot actor and father of 1,000 children, has been rocking a rather bohemian-looking beard thingy for a while now. Usually I am willing to give BP the benefit of the doubt, style- and grooming-wise, but now things have gone too far. At a recent press event Brad was spotted with little beads woven into his beard fur, as if he was channeling Johnny Depp’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” character. Here’s the thing Brad: Johnny was actually in all three of those movies, so he’s the only one who’s allowed to take the look home with him at night, OK? Shave it. Just shave it.

Everyone’s favorite sullen minx from “Beetlejuice” has returned to the spotlight! Closing in on 40, the formerly sticky-fingered Winona Ryder has descended from her pedestal for an interview with BlackBook. Why? She’s got a movie to promote (“The Private Lives of Pippa Lee”), dammit! After the jump, the best of what wacky Winona spewed.

For your enjoyment, here is an excerpt from Johnny Depp and Ami Angelowicz: Fever in France:

“Mon Ami.” “Bizou Johnny.” Ami dismounts her little yellow bicycle and Johnny follows. Tired from a day of cycling about town—Museé Rodin, Tour Eiffel, crêpes de sucre, and passionate kisses on Rive Gauche—Ami finally collapses in the pristine Parisian grass of the Jardin de Luxembourg, stretching and soaking in the fall sun. Johnny opens the picnic basket he has been carrying on his handlebars all day. “Madame ... ” he gestures to an unopened bottle of wine ready to serve. “Wine for the lady?” It’s a fine deep red.

OK, so maybe I don’t have a future as a writer of romantic novels (and pardon my French, by the way), but I just got so carried away imagining a page from my soon-to-be published, customized erotic novel created by UStar Books and Novels. Yes, correct. You can create a novel starring you tailor-made to contain all of your most personal tastes and erotic desires. So perfect because it appeals to my romanticism and narcissism, all at once!

The trailer for Tim Burton’s “Alice In Wonderland” has finally come down the rabbit hole and it looks a-maaaazing. Johnny Depp, in particular, looks deliciously wicked, definitely channeling the same dark kookiness of his version of Willy Wonka. Only this time, we hope his brilliance is fully appreciated. With Wonka, he could not escape comparisons to Gene Wilder, but his Mad Hatter can only be held up against a cartoon—we’re sure he’ll hold his own.

• Though we haven’t even given Michael Jackson enough time to rise from the dead like Jesus, there are already talks of a Michael Jackson biopic. Different methods are being considered like using archive and live -show footage or maybe having Jamie Foxx play young Jackson and Johnny Depp play um, white Jackson. I’m not sure how politically correct that scenario would be but God I would love to see them try to pull it off! [PopCrunch]

And we’d like to be his dessert! JD looked smokin’ hot in a three-piece suit at the European premiere of his new flick, “Public Enemies.” [London, 6/29/09]

Tim Burton is one of my favorite directors. I know “The Nightmare Before Christmas” by heart and left the theater with goosebumps after seeing his twisted remake of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Not to mention that I admire his constantly casting Johnny Depp! Which is why I could not contain my excitement upon seeing the new promotional photos for Burton’s upcoming rendition of “Alice in Wonderland.” It’s just like Burton to take a children’s fairytale and warp it, and by the looks of these pictures, we’re in for one dark fall down the rabbit hole. In this creepily surrealist version, Alice lands back in Wonderland 10 years after her first visit, but she has absolutely no recollection of being there the first time around. Oh, and did I mention that this movie will be shown in 3-D and that you can explore the CGI scenery thanks to this cool USA Today gadget?

Sadly, the movie won’t be out until March 5 of 2010. So to tide you over, here are our favorite of the publicity images.

The new issue of Vanity Fair comes out today, and it’s graced by Johnny Depp’s tousled hair and Mona Lisa smile. The interview took place in paradise on Johnny’s private Caribbean island. In between sipping daiquiris and plunging into the deep blue, writer Douglas Brinkley pieced together an oddly revealing portrait of the mysterious hunksicle. After the jump, the juiciest bits on Johnny.

Holy hotness—Johnny Depp is on the cover of Vanity Fair that’s coming out tomorrow. And this dude really can’t get enough of the Caribbean. After filming three movies there, in 2004, he decided to buy his own private island in the Bahamas. Depp and his family bask in the sun on Little Hall’s Pond Cay Island, which has six beaches. Three are named after members of Johnny’s family, another is called “Brando,” and yet another is “Gonzo” after his idol and friend, Hunter S. Thompson. Johnny likes to keep things in the family. His 156-foot yacht is dubbed Vajoliroja—a word made-up of syllables of his family’s names.

Interestingly, many celebs own private islands. I guess they need somewhere paparazzi-free to escape from all the parties, premieres, and their own fabulousness? Here are a few celebs that sunbathe in solitude.