Movie star Johnny Depp has blamed over-zealous fans for turning him into a housebound recluse.

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor famously shuns the limelight and deliberately avoids red carpet events and film premieres.

He admits he prefers to stay at home in a "dark room" - and insists he struggles to deal with the attention of fans when he is mobbed wherever he goes.

Depp tells the U.K.'s Daily Telegraph, "You don't ever get used to that kind of thing. That's why I hardly ever leave my house. I don't go anywhere. I understand what it's about but there's only so much of that sort of thing a human being can deal with. I can't think of myself in terms of celebrity. It's just too weird. If the choice is between being gawked at and sitting in a chair in a dark room, I prefer the dark room."

Image © PR Photos

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)