Johnny Depp wishes art could become life, because he'd like to be just as 'savvy' as his movie pirate Captain Jack Sparrow.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star loves his onscreen persona, which he loosely based on Rolling Stones rocker Keith Richards, and he only wishes he could be more like Jack in his personal life when he hands back the costume and the filming stops.

"For me personally, it's always just a treat to get back together with Captain Jack," Johnny said at the Shanghai premiere of the latest Pirates movie, Dead Men Tell No Tales.

"He's just a very fun character. He's a part of me and a part of all of us that we wish we could be... I love his irreverence," he smirked, looking just like his quirky character for a second. "He just sort of moves forward, he doesn't really think about things all that much."

Johnny recently dressed up as the lovable rogue to make a surprise appearance on the popular Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

He stunned fans on the boat tunnel ride by popping up at the water's edge, waving his sword and raving about life as a pirate, as they sailed by, shrieking at their star sighting and snapping photos.

The actor also makes surprise appearances at hospitals in full Jack Sparrow costume to cheer up young patients - he thrilled sick fans at the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital in Brisbane, Australia in April (17).

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, which is also titled Salazar's Revenge, will hit cinemas later this month (May17).