Johnny Depp And Vanessa Paradis Have Hinted At Why They Split After 14 Years

The fervid interest in Johnny Depp's past relationship with Amber Heard makes it easy to assume that it was his longest, most impactful relationship. However, Depp and Heard were married for just about a year and dated only a few years beyond that. Depp's longest relationship was actually with musician Vanessa Paradis, the mother of his two children: Jack and Lily-Rose Depp. Depp and Paradis never made things official in the eyes of the law, but they still spent nearly 15 years together.

Depp and Paradis first got together in 1998 and appeared to have enjoyed a lengthy, passionate romance. And while it's clear that both prioritized keeping the most sacred aspects of their bond away from the press, they both had moments over the years when they shared their love with the world. Depp's account of their first meeting was especially romantic. "It was the Hotel Costes,' shared Depp with the Daily Mail in 2011. "[Vanessa] was wearing a dress with an exposed back and I saw that back and that neck, and then she turned around and I saw those eyes, and — boom! ... My life as a single man was done." Unfortunately, Depp and Paradis didn't last much longer than Depp's amorous revelation, splitting up in 2012. Here's what led to their breakup. 

During the early '00s, Depp appeared on Oprah's talk show and bared his heart when sharing how Paradis had impacted his life. "Changed it. Completely," shared Depp during the interview (via Oprah)."I mean, Vanessa and my kids gave me life, put me in a whole other arena." Depp also complimented her parenting skills. "She's a great mommy," Depp continued, adding, "One of the most beautiful things in the world is to see a mommy with her kids." Depp and Paradis didn't last, however, and it appears to have been partly because of Amber Heard. 

In 2022, Depp revealed during his trial against Heard that he became enamored with her while filming their 2011 movie, "The Rum Diary." "That moment, was, it was, it felt like something, it felt like something I should not be feeling," Depp shared on the witness stand (via People). "I think there was something in the [film's] kiss in the shower that was real." Unfortunately, Depp and Paradis were still in a relationship at the time. Meanwhile, Paradis spoke of love's duality in a rather grim fashion around the time of their split. "Love is the strongest and most fragile thing we have in life," she said to Harper's Bazaar. "Nothing is ever for sure, but when something in love doesn't work from the beginning, it's never going to work. Don't push it." 

Despite the history between them, Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis currently appear to have a healthy co-parenting relationship, which is likely made easier by the fact that their children are young adults now. Paradis even attempted to help Depp during his trial against Amber Heard by writing a character statement on his behalf. Privately, however, things haven't always been smooth sailing between the parents, despite their attempt at a cordial front.

Just like Deep's trial against Heard publicized the darkest, most mortifying aspects of their relationship, it also revealed a past rough patch Depp had with Paradis. During the same trial, Heard's counsel presented a 2013 email Depp sent to Elton John, where he heavily insulted his ex. "My kids have fallen head over heels in deep love with Amber (my girl) and that pressure off my shoulders is f***ing gone!!!" Depp wrote (via Daily Mail). "That is unlike the 'French extortionist (ex c***) attempts to brain wash them against her... which, I'm sure is imminent." It's unknown if Paradis was made aware of Depp's scathing commentary before the trial or if she found out when the rest of the world did. In any case, it appears the exes have since found common ground. 

For their family's sake, let's hope it stays this way.