The Women Who Captured Johnny Depp's Heart

Johnny Depp's love life has been filled with high-profile relationships with some of Hollywood's most famous women, including Winona Ryder and Jennifer Grey. However, before his much-publicized marriage and separation from Amber Heard, Depp was previously married to makeup artist Lori Anne Allison in 1983. Though their marriage didn't last long, it proved to be a pivotal moment in Depp's career as Allison's friendship with Nicolas Cage helped him secure his first major acting role in the 1984 classic horror movie, A Nightmare on Elm Street.

After the divorce from his first wife in 1985, Johnny Depp started dating Sherilyn Fenn who was known for her role in Twin Peaks. The couple was rumored to be engaged at one point, but their relationship ended after three and a half years. Depp's string of broken engagements continued when he proposed to Jennifer Grey, a famous actress from the 80s, but they soon called off their relationship.

Winona Ryder was also a notable romantic interest of Depp's, having starred alongside him in the 1990 film Edward Scissorhands. Though their engagement was ultimately called off, their relationship is still remembered for the tattoo on Depp's arm that once read "Winona Forever" and now humorously reads "Wino Forever." Following a string of unsuccessful romances, Depp eventually found lasting love with Vanessa Paradis, with whom he spent 14 years and had two children, Lily-Rose and Jack.

After their 2012 separation, he spoke candidly about the split in an interview with Rolling Stone a year later. He acknowledged that the breakup had taken a toll on both him and Paradis, as well as their children. Despite this, he emphasized that he still cared for her, recognizing her as the mother of his kids. He also acknowledged that due to their shared parental responsibilities, they would always be part of each other's lives and therefore should strive to make the most of their relationship.

Here’s a look back at the A-lister actor’s most famous — and infamous — relationships.

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Johnny Depp’s Romantic History: Winona Ryder, Kate Moss and More

Johnny Depp’s love life has been a topic of interest for many throughout his career in Hollywood. He has had numerous high-profile relationships with famous women such as Winona Ryder and Jennifer Grey before his tumultuous marriage and separation with Amber Heard. However, before all of this, Depp was married to makeup artist Lori Anne Allison in 1983, a short-lived marriage that lasted only two years. Interestingly, this marriage led to Depp’s big break in Hollywood as it was Allison’s friendship with Nicolas Cage that helped him land his first major acting role in the 1984 horror classic A Nightmare on Elm Street.

After his divorce in 1985, Johnny Depp began a relationship with Sherilyn Fenn, who starred in Twin Peaks. Despite getting engaged, they ended things after three and a half years. He then had another failed engagement with Jennifer Grey, known for her role in '80s classic Dirty Dancing. Their relationship ended shortly after he proposed.

Winona Ryder was also a significant figure in Depp's love life after their on-screen partnership in Edward Scissorhands. Despite an engagement, the couple ultimately split before marriage. However, their relationship remains a topic of discussion due to Depp's tattoo of "Winona forever" on his arm, which has since been modified to read "wino forever." Following several unsuccessful relationships, Depp finally found lasting love with Vanessa Paradis, with whom he spent 14 years and welcomed two children, Lily-Rose in 1999 and Jack in 2002.

In a June 2013 interview with Rolling Stone, he discussed the difficulties of his 2012 breakup with Paradis. Despite the challenges, he emphasized the importance of caring for the mother of his children and maintaining a relationship with her for the sake of their kids. He acknowledged that they would always be in each other's lives and suggested making the best of the situation.

Here’s a look back at the A-lister actor’s most famous — and infamous — relationships.

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Lori Anne Allison

In 1983, Depp entered into his first marriage with a makeup artist named Allison, who happened to be the sister of one of his bandmates. The young couple divorced two years later in 1985, just as Depp's acting career was beginning to take off.

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Sherilyn Fenn

Fenn and Depp first crossed paths while working on the student film Dummies in 1985. They went on to date for three and a half years, and Fenn even appeared on an episode of Depp's hit TV show 21 Jump Street in 1987.

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Jennifer Grey

The Golden Globe nominee popped the question to the Dirty Dancing star in the late ‘80s, but the couple called off the wedding shortly after.

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Winona Ryder

The Hollywood star crossed paths with Winona Ryder at the premiere of Great Balls of Fire! in 1989, where the young actress was just 17 years old. They later co-starred in the classic film Edward Scissorhands in 1990, and Depp eventually proposed to Ryder. Although they ended their relationship in 1993, Ryder opened up about the emotional toll of their breakup in a 2009 interview with Elle UK, revealing that it was her first true heartbreak.

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Kate Moss

Johnny Depp and Kate Moss were once the epitome of a fashionable couple. The two began dating in 1994, but their relationship was not without drama. In 1995, Depp was arrested for allegedly vandalizing a hotel room in New York City. When police arrived on the scene, they found the couple amidst the wreckage. Despite the incident, Depp and Moss remained together for a few more years before ultimately calling it quits.

"Taking care of me has always been a challenge for anyone. However, Johnny did manage to take care of me for a while," Moss revealed to Vanity Fair in 2012 when talking about her relationship with Depp and their break up in 1998. "Whenever I was in doubt, he would guide me and that's what I missed when we split. It was extremely difficult to find someone who I could trust. It was a nightmare and I spent years crying. The tears just wouldn't stop!"

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Ellen Barkin

Barkin and Depp had a brief romance in 1994 and were seen together on multiple occasions at red carpet events. However, Barkin later revealed in a November 2019 deposition that Depp was controlling and jealous during their relationship. This statement was played during Depp's 2016 defamation trial against Heard.

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Vanessa Paradis

Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, a French model, actress, and singer, were in a romantic relationship for 14 years. Despite their long-term commitment, Depp never felt the need to marry, stating in a 2010 interview with Extra that he believed marriage was a connection between two souls and hearts, rather than a legal document. He also expressed concern about potentially tarnishing Paradis' well-respected last name if they were to wed.

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Amber Heard

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's love story began on the set of The Rum Diary in 2009. The couple started dating in 2011 and after four years, they decided to tie the knot. However, they changed their plans and got married a few days before their planned February 2015 wedding in the Bahamas.

Following their messy split in 2016, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard found themselves embroiled in a bitter court battle. Both sides made allegations of domestic abuse against the other, leading to a lengthy and highly publicized legal battle. In June 2022, a jury ruled that Heard had defamed Depp with a 2018 op-ed about being a survivor of domestic violence, awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. The same jury also found that Depp's attorney had defamed Heard in one statement, resulting in her being awarded $2 million in compensatory damages.

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Joelle Rich

According to a source who spoke with Us in September 2022, Depp has begun a romantic relationship with the lawyer who represented him in his U.K. libel lawsuit against The Sun. The source added that the couple's chemistry is incredibly strong and that their relationship is serious, despite the fact that the lawyer is currently in the process of getting a divorce.

Rich showed her support for the actor during his defamation trial against Heard in 2022, despite not being part of his legal team. Her presence in the courtroom was not driven by professional obligation, but rather a personal desire to stand by him.