It’s “Us Against the World!” Chris Martin and Dakota Johnson have kept their romance relatively private — but their story is as sweet as any love song.
Us Weekly exclusively confirmed in December 2017 that the Coldplay singer had moved on with the Fifty Shades of Grey star less than two years after his divorce from Gwyneth Paltrow was finalized in July 2016. The exes — who share daughter Apple and son Moses — announced their “conscious uncoupling” in March 2014 after a decade of marriage.
The unlikely couple had been spotted out together on multiple occasions in late 2017 before a source told Us that they were “definitely dating” and getting serious. “They’ve gotten to know each other really well and are very comfortable with one another,” the insider added at the time. “Chris sends Dakota his music to get her opinion. It’s more than just a fling.”
A separate source at the time noted that Martin was drawn to Johnson’s free spirit. “Chris is very young at heart so it makes sense for him to be with someone younger,” the insider said. “He likes creative types so it makes sense that he dates actresses. That’s just one of the ways Dakota is very much his type.”
Much of their relationship was kept under wraps, but the “Fix You” singer and the Texas native hit a rough patch in the summer of 2019. At the time, rumors surfaced that Martin had packed on the PDA with Dua Lipa at the Glastonbury Festival in the U.K., sparking speculation that he and Johnson had split. (A rep for Martin later denied the kiss had ever happened.)
Shortly after reports of their breakup made waves, the British musician supported Johnson at a handful of press events in August 2019. All signs pointed to a rekindled romance — and Paltrow played a big part in their reunion. “Gwyneth is the one who pushed them to do it,” a source exclusively revealed at the time. “Gwyneth is happy if Chris is happy. She only wants the best for him.”
The Politician actress, for her part, tied the knot with Brad Falchuk in September 2018. While the two couples have a friendly rapport, Paltrow previously admitted that coparenting with her ex-husband hasn’t always been simple.
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“Chris and I committed to putting them first and that’s harder than it looks because some days you really don’t want to be with the person that you are getting divorced from,” the Shakespeare in Love star said on The Drew Barrymore Show in September 2020. “But if you’re committed to having family dinner then you do it. You take a deep breath, and you look the person in the eye, and you remember your pact, and you smile, and you hug and you recommit to this new relationship that you are trying to foster.”
Keep scrolling for a look back at Martin and Johnson’s whirlwind love story!