Brian Cox Calls Johnny Depp 'So Overblown, So Overrated'

Brian Cox seems just like his character Logan Roy -- in that the guy speaks his mind, even if it's at the expense of Johnny Depp, whom he considers ... eh, not that great.

The "Succession" star let his thoughts about Depp (and others) fly in his new memoir, "Putting the Rabbit in the Hat," an excerpt of which GQ obtained and published Friday. In the text, he takes aim at Depp for what he considers ... sub-par acting chops.

While reminiscing about passing on a big role for the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' franchise, Cox writes, "It would have been a money-spinner, but of all the parts in that film it was the most thankless, plus I would have ended up doing it for film after film and missed out on all the other nice things I've done."

He adds, "Another thing with 'Pirates' ... it's very much the "Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow" show, and Depp, personable though I'm sure he is, is so overblown, so overrated."

BC wasn't done criticizing Depp just yet ... he continues, "I mean, 'Edward Scissorhands.' Let's face it, if you come on with hands like that and pale, scarred-face make-up, you don't have to do anything. And he didn't. And subsequently, he's done even less."

JD wasn't the only actor Cox had words for ... he also took some shots at Edward Norton, whom he describes as "a nice lad but a bit of a pain in the arse because he fancies himself as a writer-director."