Johnny Depp "poisoned himself" with alcohol to cope with fame.

The usually tight-lipped actor has revealed he partied so hard in the 90s to try and deal with his meteoric ascent to superstardom.

Depp - who was engaged to hard-partying model Kate Moss and was friends with wild Oasis rockers Liam and Noel Gallagher during the decade - is quoted as saying: "I never wanted to be the guy people looked at. I felt I could only be myself when I was alone, that I turned into some kind of novelty. The only way I could get through that time was to drink.

"I poisoned myself with alcohol for years but I've never been into drugs in the way it was sometimes made out."

Despite a string of critically-acclaimed film performances and three Academy Award nominations, Depp admits he is still insecure about his acting abilities.

He said: "I don't think of myself as being a celebrity, it's too mortifying. I have a hard time watching myself on screen and it's getting worse. I can't tell whether my work is good or not."

But one thing constantly getting better in his life is his relationship with French star Vanessa Paradis - the mother of his two children Lily-Rose and Jack.

Depp, 45, added: "Meeting Vanessa gave me proper perspective and understanding. It wasn't until then that things started to get real for me."

International