Many of Hollywood’s top talents have been paying tribute in their own ways to the late Wes Craven these past couple weeks, which just goes to show how important he was to the world of film – and not just horror. Johnny Depp is the latest to speak out, recalling his memories of the master.

It was of course A Nightmare on Elm Street that gave Depp his big break, so it’s not at all out of line to wonder if he’d be where he is today if it weren’t for Wes Craven. As reported by Variety, Depp paid tribute to the man who gave him his first film role during a Q&A at the Toronto Film Festival.

“Wes Craven was the guy who gave me my start, from my perspective, for almost no reason in particular,” Depp told the audience. “I read scenes with his daughter when I auditioned for the part. At the time, I was a musician. I wasn’t really acting. It was not anything very near to my brain or my heart, which is pretty much how it remains to this day.”

“But Wes Craven was brave enough to give me the gig based on his daughter’s opinion,” he continued. “I guess she had read with a bunch of actors, and after the casting sessions, she said, ‘No, that’s the guy.’ I always think of her for putting me in this mess, and certainly Wes Craven for being very brave to give me this gig. But he was a good man — so rest in peace, old Wes.”