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Hollywood A-lister Johnny Depp is said to have been easing back at Auckland's most famous surfing spot - while one of music's big names also paid a visit.
Johnny Depp was reportedly spotted taking an early evening swim in the Piha surf on Thursday, an event that has
since become the talk of the locality.
It has been rumoured for weeks that Depp, who last week won a Golden Globe Best Actor for his bloody turn in horror-musical Sweeney Todd, was due in New Zealand for a summer holiday.
The story doing the rounds in the film world is that Depp has been holidaying on the Coromandel Peninsula.
There was no sign of him at Piha yesterday, but the tiny settlement was abuzz with the rumours.
One local woman claimed he'd been seen getting coffee from the store, but store assistants denied this.
A film industry insider who was surfing at Piha yesterday said Depp was mates with Pirates of the Caribbean co-stars Geoffrey Rush and Bill Nighy, both currently or recently in New Zealand shooting films (Rush for fantasy action movie Laundry Warrior, Nighy for Underworld: Rise of the Lycans). She speculated Depp may have been visiting one of them.
Eileen Ratcliffe, co-owner of Ahipara Backpackers and Motorcamp, said Depp was spotted in the Far North surf town recently. "Apparently he stayed in Ahipara, but he didn't stay at our motorcamp unfortunately!"
Meanwhile, Bjork and Rage Against the Machine band members were definitely at Piha - they kicked back there before facing the crowds at Big Day Out.
Jackie from Piha Store, who declined to give her surname, said she sold bottles of water to guitarist Tom Morello and singer Zack de la Rocha on Wednesday.
Bjork, the Icelandic electronica diva with a reputation for walloping press members and dressing unconventionally, also dropped in and bought a couple of shirts from the adjoining surfwear store.
"It was very exciting for me," said Jackie. "Bjork was just wearing normal beachwear. She looked absolutely normal."
Daniel Morini, chef at the Piha Surf Lifesaving Club restaurant Beachside Kitchen, served Bjork chicken caesar salad on Wednesday and pan-fried fish on Thursday night.
"The first night she came in with her security guard, the second by herself," said Morini.
"She sat on the balcony and chilled out.
"Everyone was saying, ask her for an autograph. I said, nah - didn't want any 'talk to the hand'.
"I thought of putting her fork on eBay, but I didn't."
Meanwhile, another music sensation, Sting, was reportedly set to join the crowds at the A1GP race in Taupo today, after entertaining thousands of fans at The Police concert in Auckland last night.
