Vanessa Paradis on Johnny Depp: ‘He Has Never Been Violent or Abusive With Me’

Johnny Depp’s romantic history is marked by high-profile relationships, including his three-year engagement to Winona Ryder, his long-term partnership with Vanessa Paradis, and his controversial split from Amber Heard. Among these, his relationship with Paradis stood out for its longevity and the two children they share, Lily-Rose and Jack.

Depp and Paradis first met in 1998 while filming The Ninth Gate in France. Reflecting on their meeting, Depp shared with the Daily Mail:

“It was the Hôtel Costes. She 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.”

Paradis also described their instant connection, saying:

“We were in two different worlds—him in America, me in France—but we had friends in common. We saw each other sometimes for four years. But then, the day we found each other in Paris, we were both in the same world and free, and it was just instant. There was no more time to waste—just no way around it.”

Their partnership came to an end in January 2012, with rumors swirling after Paradis attended a film premiere without Depp. While Depp initially denied the speculation, the couple later confirmed their separation as media scrutiny intensified. Despite their breakup, the pair avoided discussing their relationship publicly for almost a year.

In the years that followed, Depp’s tumultuous marriage to Heard took center stage, culminating in a high-profile defamation trial. During an April 2022 hearing, Depp admitted that his romantic feelings for Heard began while filming The Rum Diary. He said:  #JusticeForJohhnyDepp pic.twitter.com/rJQVR64UOs

“I felt something I shouldn’t have because at that time she had her partner and I had Vanessa. It all started with that kiss in the shower.”

Depp also confessed to spending time with Heard in his dressing room, where they shared “a glass of wine and kisses.” While it remains unclear whether Paradis knew of this during their relationship, it may have played a role in their separation.

Despite their history, Paradis has consistently defended Depp against allegations of abuse. In 2016, she wrote:

“In all these years I have known Johnny, he has never been physically abusive with me, and this looks nothing like the man I lived with for 14 wonderful years. These outrageous statements have caused damage to his career because unfortunately, people have gone on believing these false facts.”

The pair has since maintained a positive co-parenting relationship, a testament to their mutual respect and shared commitment to their children.