Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin have reportedly called it quits after eight years of dating, multiple sources told People in early June.
The Materialists star and the Coldplay frontman were first linked in 2017, three years after Martin’s “conscious uncoupling” from his then-wife, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, with whom he has two children. While Martin’s marriage to Paltrow was in the spotlight, his relationship with Johnson was much more private.
Johnson and Martin have weathered their share of breakup rumors in the past — so much so that a rep for Johnson told People in August 2024 that the pair had not gone their separate ways despite a swirling rumor mill saying otherwise. But throughout their eight years of dating, their romance appeared to have had its “ups and downs.”
Despite being photographed together in Malibu last month, their breakup “feels final this time,” a source told People.
From their early days of coupledom to reports of their split and a supposed confirmation of their past engagement, here’s a look back at Johnson and Martin’s relationship over the past eight years.
2017: The pair spark romance rumors, Johnson attends a Coldplay concert
Johnson and Martin first sparked relationship rumors in October 2017, when they were seen having dinner at Sushi Park in Los Angeles. A source told People that the duo looked “cozy, laughing and affectionate” during their date.
A month after their outing, the Fifty Shades of Grey actress was seen in a VIP box at the Coldplay concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2018: Quality time with family, confirming their relationship
Johnson and Martin were seen on a handful of casual dates in Los Angeles in January 2018 as they continued to get to know each other. During this time, they were spotted at Soho House and were seen strolling along a beach in Malibu.
The actress and the singer also appeared to go public with their romance later that month, when they attended Stella McCartney’s fall 2018 runway show.
“They walked in holding hands, and Dakota was not letting go — she was super into the PDA,” one onlooker told People. “When Chris let go of her hand, she slipped her arm through his.”
Their relationship continued to blossom in 2018, with Johnson spending more time with Martin at his Malibu home, and her mother, actress Melanie Griffith, opening up about her daughter’s relationship with Martin.
Their public outings included attending a Radiohead concert in Boston, alongside Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul and his wife, Lauren, as well as getting matching infinity-sign tattoos.
Johnson finally acknowledged her relationship with Martin in her November 2018 Tatler cover story.
“I’m not going to talk about it,” she told Tatler via E! when asked about her relationship with the Coldplay frontman. “But I am very happy.”
The actress also reportedly spent Thanksgiving with Martin’s family, including Paltrow, her new husband Brad Falchuk, and Martin and Paltrow’s two children, Apple and Moses.
2019: Johnson and Martin reportedly split, then get back together
While neither confirmed the reported breakup themselves, a source told Express in June 2019 that “Chris made it clear he wants more kids as soon as possible, but Dakota’s career has really taken off, and that’s the last thing she wanted to think about right away.”
Martin, however, was seen at the L.A. premiere of Johnson’s film The Peanut Butter Falcon in August 2019, two months after their alleged split. A source confirmed to Us Weekly that Johnson and Martin are officially back on. E! also reported that the couple were very much together and were “planning to spend more time together later this summer.”
The couple’s families continued to sing their praises as their relationship deepened.
Griffith told People in September 2019, “I love my daughter’s boyfriend. I think that they’re an awesome couple,” while Paltrow wished Johnson a happy birthday in an October 2019 Instagram post.
“Happy 30th birthday to this absolute gem,” Paltrow captioned the post.
Two months later, in December 2019, Johnson went on a family trip to Aspen, Colo., with Martin, Paltrow and their kids.
2020: Martin helps Johnson make her directorial debut, the pair quarantine together
On Valentine’s Day, Coldplay debuted its music video for the track “Cry Cry Cry,” which was directed by Johnson. The romantic video marked the actress’s directorial debut.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Johnson’s close friend the actress Olivia Wilde seemed to confirm that the Madame Web actress and the Coldplay singer were quarantining together. The Don’t Worry Darling director shared a clip of the couple on Instagram in March 2020, in which Johnson showed off her handwashing technique while pretending Martin’s hands are her own.
2021: Johnson relocates to Malibu for Martin, shares rare insight into their life at home
Johnson and Martin had reportedly been living together in Martin’s $12.5 million “modern Cape Cod-style house in Point Dume, Malibu” since he purchased it in October 2020, People reported. The outlet’s source also noted that while Johnson “seemed like more of a city girl” — she spent much of her adolescence in Los Angeles — she’d grown comfortable with her new life.
Martin, while playing a Coldplay show in London in October 2021, also made a rare shout-out to Johnson before singing the song “My Universe.”
“This is about my universe, and she’s here,” he told the crowd, before pointing to Johnson on the balcony.
While chatting with Elle U.K. in December 2021, Johnson opened up about her “private” relationship with Martin.
“We’ve been together for quite a while, and we go out sometimes, but we both work so much that it’s nice to be at home and be cosy and private,” she said. “Most of the partying takes place inside my house.”
2023: Martin praises Johnson for introducing him to hearing impairment device
On a March 2023 episode of Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, the late-night host’s eponymous podcast, Martin opened up about how Johnson introduced him to a tactile audio device called SubPacs, which allows those with hearing impairments to feel the vibrations of a concert.
“Dakota, my partner, gave me one as a gift because she’d seen someone online experiencing whatever they are experiencing with this — it’s kind of like body armor — that you put on and plug it in, and it connects to the bass,” Martin said. “[Johnson] had seen this lady use it in the hearing impaired, deaf community and she said, ‘You should use this somehow.’”
Martin then made yet another onstage tribute to Johnson, this time at Coldplay’s Naples, Italy, concert in June 2023. Johnson was then spotted at a Coldplay concert in Pasadena, Calif., with her mother in October 2023.
2024: Johnson gushes about watching Martin perform. Their engagement is confirmed, breakup debunked
While chatting with Bustle in March 2024, the Splitsville actress opened up about life with Martin, including that she calls his daughter, Apple, and son, Moses, her stepchildren.
“I love those kids like my life depends on it. With all my heart,” she said.
Shortly after her Bustle interview, a source told People that Johnson and Martin were engaged and have been engaged for a few years.
“[They] got engaged years ago but were in no rush to get married,” said the source. The large emerald ring that Johnson was first seen wearing on her left hand in December 2020 was reportedly her engagement ring.
Johnson and Martin weathered more breakup rumors in August 2024, though the actress put those to rest when she was photographed with the same emerald ring on her engagement finger while out in Malibu. A rep for the couple further denied that they’d parted ways, calling the rumors “not true.”
2025: The couple reportedly split for a ‘final’ time
People reported that Johnson and Martin have broken up once again — only this time it feels like it’s for good.
“It feels final this time,” an insider told the outlet.
The news of Johnson and Martin’s “final” split comes as the actress is doing press for her upcoming romantic comedy, Materialists. The two were last photographed together this May in Malibu, before Johnson was seen walking the red carpet alone at the Cannes Film Festival. Martin, just days before their reported breakup, urged fans to watch Materialists at a Coldplay concert in Stanford, Calif., on May 31.
