Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder had an intense love that affected them both deeply when they split after several years together.
The movie star dated co-star Winona from 1990 for three years. The celebrity couple were even engaged after Depp got down on one knee, but the romance ended up being too much. However, it affected Johnny Depp more than anyone could have predicted, with one director saying how he wasn’t ‘himself anymore’ after the breakup.
Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder’s relationship timeline
Johnny was captivated over Winona the first time he laid eyes on the Hollywood star in 1989. They met at the Great Balls of Fire! premier, with Jonny being 26 and Winona only 18. However, it was their time together on the set of Edward Scissorhands where sparks really flew. They grew closer in the Tim Burton flick, and the rest was history.
Their first date was actually at a friend’s house, and Winona said Johnny was more shy than how she expected.
Johnny was so in love with his co-star that he got her name tattooed on his arm as a constant reminder. It said “Winona forever”.
“It was absolutely like nothing before,” he at the time. “We hung out the whole day… and night, and we’ve been hanging out ever since. I love her more than anything in the whole world
But it wasn’t to last, they eventually broke up in 1993 with a source claiming they simply “grew apart”. But Johnny later broke his silence and said that wasn’t exactly true.
‘It was a mistake to be as open as we were’
The Hollywood star later confessed the pressure of Tinsel Town and the media affected their relationship. He opened up over the tough time to the Los Angeles Times in 1993.
“My relationship with Winona, it was my mistake to be as open as we were, but I thought if we were honest, it would destroy that curiosity monster,” he explained.
“Instead, it fed it, gave people license to feel they were part of it.”
Johnny said it was “hard to have a personal life in this town”, speaking about a lack of privacy.
But friend and director Tim Burton noticed the change in Johnny on the next film they worked together on. He went on to film Ed Wood with the star, and said he would ‘turn up in tears’ after the split.
Burton said: “It wasn’t the same as Winona. I felt weird to be around him, like he wasn’t acting like Johnny anymore. It’s almost like Winona took Johnny’s soul, Johnny’s love.”
Winona Ryder’s ‘first real heartbreak’
For Winona, she took the split hard. She fell into depression and was prescribed medication to help her cope. She was diagnosed with anticipatory nostalgia, known as acute sadness.
“I was very depressed after breaking off my engagement with Johnny,” she admitted. “I was embarrassingly dramatic at the time, but you have to remember I was only 19 years old.”
She also called it her “first real heartbreak” in past interviews and said she wasn’t “taking care” of herself afterward.
If you are affected by any issues raised in the article or would like someone to speak to, please call the Samaritans for free on 116 123. You can also email them at [email protected] or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch in the UK. In the US, please visit Samaritans USA for more information.
You can also contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text 741741 to get in touch with the Crisis Text Line. Americans can now call or text 988 to reach out and speak to a counselor.
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