What happened between Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis? Split explored as actor opens up about raising kids with ex

Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis were in a long-term relationship from 1998 to 2012. During their 14‑year partnership, they welcomed daughter Lily‑Rose Depp in 1999 and son Jack Depp in 2002.

In June 2012, the estranged couple amicably separated. Confirming their split, they also spoke about co-parenting their kids. They never commented on the sole reason that led to their breakup.

Johnny Depp, 62, reflected on sharing children with his ex and maintaining co-parenting in a recent interview with The Sunday Times. As cited by People, the legendary actor looked back and spoke about Lily-Rose, Jack, and Vanessa. He did so while describing a portrait of his daughter that was placed right behind him during the conversation.

Looking at the portrait, the Edward Scissorhands actor revealed:

"I never finished it. She was 10 then, and 25 now. Years get away from us, don’t they? I’m of the empty-nest syndrome."

Johnny Depp opened up about Vanessa Paradis and raising their children

During the recent chat, Depp shared that his kids grew up “in the south of France in their youth.” As per the People report, the star kids were brought up near St. Tropez. Johnny purchased the property in 2001.

Recounting those special memories, the Pirates of the Caribbean star added,

"I was Papa. I cannot tell you how much I loved being Papa. Then, suddenly, Papa was out the window. I was Dad. But Papa was awesome, and I’m getting old enough for Papa to possibly come back. Some motherf**ker’s going to have to call me Papa!"

Johnny Depp appeared a little emotional while looking back at his “home” and the time spent with his little ones. Disclosing when and where he truly felt at home, he explained:

"Truly, the first time I felt I had a home was the place in the south of France where Vanessa and I raised the kiddies. That’s the only place that ever felt like home."

Vanessa Paradis secretly selected France as the ideal location for the family to raise Lily-Rose and Jack, whom she shares with Johnny Depp.

During a 2007 conversation with Weekend Knack magazine, as People confirmed, Paradis shared:

"For my children, I secretly choose France. Even though Los Angeles is great too. We raise them bilingually anyway, so for them it doesn't really matter. Only, in the south of France you can live much more anonymously. And that's a bliss, especially when the children are still young."

Conveying more about motherhood and caring about her kids’ privacy, she further added:

"Now I indeed keep them away from the cameras because I don’t want our children to be forced to share in our fame against their will. They didn’t ask for that. Not yet. The day that they will decide for themselves to do things that might bring them into the spotlights, then I won’t stop them."

A look at Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis's highly publicized breakup

According to a Marca report, Johnny and Vanessa first met while working on a film titled The Ninth Gate. Neither of them directly commented on their decision to drift apart after 14 years of romance.

In a conversation with Rolling Stone, Vanessa hinted at a long-distance relationship with her ex. As cited by Marca, the French actress said:

"Relationships are very difficult. Especially in the racket that I'm in because you're constantly away or they're away and so it's hard."

Opening up about love and unsatisfying relationships, she further explained:

"Sometimes you could be in an unhappy relationship; you are very much in love with someone, but it's making you unhappy and you think things can change and you can work it out."

Despite their separation, Vanessa Paradis publicly stood by Johnny Depp and supported him during the Amber Heard controversy. According to Elle, she sent a handwritten letter, calling Johnny “a sensitive, loving and loved person.”

She further penned:

"I believe with all my heart, that these recent allegations being made are outrageous, in all the 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."

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