In promoting his new film Black Mass, Johnny Depp participated in a Q&A Monday at the Toronto International Film Festival. As you know, Depp got his start in the late Wes Craven’s legendary A Nightmare on Elm Street, so the horror master holds a special place in the actor’s heart.

He had some words about Craven during the Q&A. Depp is quoted by Variety as saying:

Wes Craven was the guy who gave me my start, from my perspective, for almost no reason in particular. I read scenes with his daughter when I auditioned for the part. At the time, I was a musician. I wasn’t really acting. It was not anything very near to my brain or my heart, which is pretty much how it remains to this day.

But Wes Craven was brave enough to give me the gig based on his daughter’s opinion. I guess she had read with a bunch of actors, and after the casting sessions, she said, ‘No, that’s the guy.’ I always think of her for putting me in this mess, and certainly Wes Craven for being very brave to give me this gig. But he was a good man — so rest in peace, old Wes.

Craven continues to earn praise and tribute from those who worked with him and others who simply admired his work. It’s clear that his passing is considered a great loss not only among the horror community, but among the industry at large.

Black Mass, which was directed by Scott Cooper, sees Depp playing gangster Whitey Bulger. It hits theaters on September 18.