Johnny Depp has experienced some good and bad times. Some of his fondest memories come from the period of his romantic relationship with Vanessa Paradis. At the same time, the darkest time in the actor’s life also happened when he was dating Paradis. Here are the details of the pair’s time together.
American Actor Johnny Depp and his former girlfriend, French Singer and Model Vanessa Paradis, first encountered each other in France.
The year was 1998 and the lovebirds were filming Roman Polanski’s “The Ninth Gate.” For Depp, it was love at first sight.
During an October 2011 interview with Daily Mail, the actor recalled the moment he first set eyes on Paradis and vividly explained how smitten he was. In his words:
“It was the Hotel Costes. She was wearing a red 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.”
The “Pirates of the Caribbean” icon noted that he had an indescribable feeling in that instance, and when he saw Paradis across the room, he asked himself what was happening to him. Soon after their first meeting, Depp and the model became romantically involved.
During their time together, Paradis changed the actor for the better. Before they met, Depp had a troubled soul and a bad-boy image, including alcohol and substance addiction.
But when Paradis came into his life, she insisted that he reduce his smoking and drinking habits. She also encouraged her man to eat healthily and exercise more often, eventually making him a better man.
Later, the Hollywood star would admit that there was nothing important in his life before he met the model. But when they crossed paths and fell in love, everything changed.
Shortly after the duo began dating, Paradis became pregnant with their first child, and reports revealed that she and her family were elated.
Depp Becomes a Father
In May 1999, Depp and Paradis welcomed their bundle of joy, Lily-Rose. Once again, the Golden Globe award winner’s life drastically changed for good. The actor became a family man, having settled in Paris with his girlfriend and daughter.
Overall, it was a period that the actor could not describe and wished never to relive. It affected Depp so that whenever he played an emotional scene in a movie, he would think about it.
Two years after Lily-Rose’s arrival, Depp would reveal that meeting his daughter for the first time would be the best moment he had ever had. According to the actor:
“Everything came into sharp focus. She became my reason to wake up in the morning and my reason to live.”
The actor also shared his desire to have more children with Paradis, numbering up to 100, if she were willing.
The Darkest Period In Depp’s Life
In March 2007, Depp and Paradis faced one of the biggest scares in their lives when Lily-Rose, seven years at the time, suffered a near-death experience and was hospitalized for days at the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. According to reports, the little girl had suffered E.coli food poisoning, causing her kidneys to shut down.
Recalling the terrifying period in their lives, the “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” star noted that he and Paradis stayed by their daughter’s bedside every day, not knowing whether she would survive.
For Depp, his daughter’s health was more important than his career. At the time, the Hollywood icon was filming “Sweeny Todd,” but he refused to go on set until his daughter was okay, eventually making the movie production pause.
Thankfully, everything Depp and Paradis did was not in vain as Lily-Rose pulled through. After spending three weeks at the hospital, the little girl was finally discharged.
Following her recovery, Depp returned to the set of his movie and told the staff what had happened. According to an insider, they were informed that the actor’s daughter was “lucky to survive,” and everyone was shocked.
In the years that followed Lily-Rose’s illness, the incident remained vivid in Depp’s memory. During a 2015 chat on “The Graham Norton Show,” the star described that period as the darkest time in his life. In Depp’s words:
“I’ve known darkness in my life, but that was the darkest period ever.”
Overall, it was a period that the actor could not describe and wished never to relive. It affected Depp so that whenever he played an emotional scene in a movie, he would think about it.
Depp’s Super Close Relationship with Lily-Rose Now
After Lily-Rose recovered from her health scare, Depp and Paradis became closer. Rumors of a possible wedding began making the rounds, but sadly, fans of the duo never saw them walk down the aisle. After dating for 14 years, Depp and Paradis broke up in 2012. However, the pair still maintained a healthy relationship.
In the following years, despite everything that might have happened between them, Depp still had fond memories of his former girlfriend and only nice things to say about her. He once noted:
“She’s a great mother and a great woman. And when you’ve got a woman who’s been good to you, with whom you have a couple of kids, you don’t just abandon ship. The love may alter, but you keep loving her, no matter what.”
It has been since Depp and Paradis split, but the former is still a doting dad to his daughter. The pair have an amazing relationship which the actor is proud of and occasionally gushes about. In 2015, Depp noted that he and Lily-Rose were super close, and she was not afraid to tell him anything.
He described her as a sharp kid and one of the smartest people he had ever met. Most importantly, the doting dad confessed that he was ever ready to support and give advice to Lily-Rose whenever she needed them.
For Depp, watching his little girl grow into a beautiful lady has been one of the best experiences. However, like many other fathers, the actor says he will never stop worrying about his daughter as it is a “father-daughter” thing.