Johnny Depp's Burton torment

Jan 3, 2008, 11:30 GMT

12/03/2007 - Johnny Depp - "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" New York Premiere - Inside Arrivals - Ziegfeld Theater - New York City, NY, USA © Wild1 / PR Photos

Johnny Depp has revealed director Tim Burton once tormented him by dragging him through mud and horse manure.

The 44-year-old actor says his worst ever movie experience came when the pair were working on 1999's 'Sleepy Hollow' and Tim made him hold on to a carriage while "curry"-fuelled horses pulled him through stinking waste.

Johnny recalled: "One morning when we were filming 'Sleepy Hollow', Tim called me to the set, pointed to two large horses strapped to a carriage and said, 'This is what we are going to be doing today.' I was to hold on to the carriage behind the horses, being dragged along through the muck.

"The horses must have fed on curry. I've never smelt anything like that."

Johnny, who says the foul stunt has put him off working with horses for life, faced another challenge when he was reunited with Tim for musical 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'.

The Hollywood star recently revealed he was terrified of singing in the movie and had to take singing lessons from his long-term partner, French singer Vanessa Paradis.

Johnny said: "I knew I wasn't tone deaf but I didn't know if I'd really be able to hold the notes or belt out a tune."

Tim insists Johnny "exceeded all expectations" with his vocal performance as the murderous London barber.

He said: "I always had every confidence in him and he needn't have worried at all.

"His performance was wonderful and exceeded all of my expectations. He is a great actor."

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