ROLLING STONES - RICHARDS CONFIRMED AS DEPP'S PIRATE DAD

RICHARDS CONFIRMED AS DEPP'S PIRATE DAD

LATEST: ROLLING STONES star KEITH RICHARDS has made JOHNNY DEPP's dreams come true after agreeing to play CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW's father in the second PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN sequel. After months of negotiations, which were halted when the rocker fell out of a tree on holiday in Fiji and cracked his skull in April (06), Richards has signed on to play a whisky-soaked buccaneer. At a London press conference to promote the second film, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CURSE, Depp said, "We're all looking forward to the idea of Keith coming in and doing a cameo. "You never say it's definite until the guy steps on the set and the camera is rolling. But it's looking very, very good." Depp, a longtime friend of the Stones star, has acknowledged Richards as his inspiration for pirate rogue Sparrow. Meanwhile, Richards will return to the road with the Rolling Stones next week (beg10JUL06) in Milan, Italy after his head injury forced the group to halt the A Bigger Bang tour and postpone dates. Depp's co-star, ORLANDO JONES, can't wait to work with the rock great: "I can't wait to see him. That's if he doesn't kill himself falling out of coconut trees - very rock and roll."