Johnny Depp has said that the end of his acting career is "not too far away".

The 50-year-old star told the BBC in an interview broadcast earlier today that he would hope to move on to "quieter things" in the near future.

"I wouldn't say I'm dropping out any second, but I would say it's probably not too far away," said Depp. "When you add up the amount of dialogue that you say per year and you realise that you've said written words more than you've had a chance to say your own words, you start thinking about that as an insane option for a human being."

Depp – a three-time best actor Oscar nominee – started his career as a teen idol in the 1980s TV series 21 Jump Street, before developing a long-running collaboration with director Tim Burton through films such as Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow and Alice in Wonderland.

His most recent film, a big-budget adaptation of The Lone Ranger that sees Depp play Tonto, has had a tough time at the US box office, with reports that it could lose studio Disney up to $150m. Meanwhile, his appearances as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean films (also Disney productions) have proved immensely profitable.

Depp's comments on acting echo those of Brad Pitt, who suggested he would quit acting "in three years" during a 2011 TV interview with 60 Minutes. Pitt – of a similar age (49) and star wattage to Depp – said he would look to develop his career as a producer.

Depp has a few more films on his slate before retirement is an option. Pirates of the Caribbean 5 is due in 2015, while a sequel to Alice in Wonderland is rumoured to include an appearance by Depp's character, The Mad Hatter. The star has also recently signed on to play the title role in Mortdecai, a comic crime thriller about a dashing and unscrupulous art dealer.