Johnny Depp Reveals He's Been Living Quiet Life in English Countryside: 'I Can Just Be Me'

The actor reportedly purchased a 12-bedroom property in Somerset in 2014

Johnny Depp is enjoying the quiet life in England.

The actor, 59, revealed he has swapped Hollywood for the rural English county of Somerset in an interview in the April issue of the local magazine Somerset Life.

"I just love places with character. I have various houses in various places and they all mean something special to me. I don't have them just to say I own them, I have them for use and because they are a bit special," he told the publication.

He also praised the area for allowing him to live more comfortably out of the spotlight. "British people are cool and will greet you as if you are a neighbor without going over the top," he shared. "I don't mind if people want an autograph or a brief chat but not when I am having some private time with my family."

He added, "I can go into shops without being surrounded by people wanting selfies. I don't mind that up to a point, but sometimes it gets a little too crowded."

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The Pirates of the Caribbean star revealed the low-key lifestyle suits him better than some might think. "In truth, I'm quite a shy person," he says. "That's one of the great things about Britain, and especially Somerset. I can just be me — and that's nice."

According to the Evening Standard, Depp bought a £13 million estate in Somerset, which is about three-and-a-half hours from London by car, in 2014. The property reportedly has 12 bedrooms and eight bathrooms. Somerset Life notes the home, which it describes as "a great manor house," is set within 850 acres and surrounded by walled gardens.