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'Black Mass' headliner Johnny Depp is getting the Oscar buzz after his portrayal of the infamous Boston gangster Whitey Bulger. His performance is said to be his best to date and may earn him a first Academy Award win. The actor requested to meet the real Bulger but was declined from doing so.

According to Cinema Blend, the upcoming biopic based on the story of notorious Irish-American gangster James Joseph "Whitey" Bulger, Jr. stars an ensemble cast that includes Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson, Joel Edgerton, Kevin Bacon, and Peter Sarsgaard. Depp's portrayal of the convicted murderer and crime boss of the South Boston Irish mob was thoroughly praised and was speculated to earn him a nomination for his first Oscar. It was reported that Bulger was known as a Robin Hood of sorts in his own neighborhood.

Associates and friends of the real-life Bulger were left in awe at Depp's appearance and performance in 'Black Mass'. According to a report from USA Today, Bulger's own lawyer Jay Carney commented, "Johnny looks and sounds just like him. I didn't expect this." Director Scott Cooper was also overwhelmed with the actor's powerful transformation on-screen.

The 52-year old Hollywood heartthrob is well-known for his stretching his acting abilities to extremes with a full range of contrasting characters - from Wade "Cry Baby" Wilson, to Edward Scissorhands, to Captain Jack Sparrow. His storied career may have suffered from some critical and commercial flops but the upcoming film is said to be one of his best break out films yet.

In another article by E! Online, Depp was said to have reached out to his real-life counterpart who is currently serving a double-life prison sentence. He said in an exclusive interview with E! News, "I made a request to meet with Mr. Bulger and since he was not particularly a great fan of the book...and many of the other books written about him, I got a beautiful response through his attorney that said Mr. Bulger respectively declines."

'Black Mass' is a crime-drama film based on the true-to-life events. It is a cinematic adaptation of Whitey Bulger's life from the biographical book 'Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob' by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill. It had its first premiere at the 72^nd Venice International Film Festival and is scheduled for public release on September 18, 2015.