Johnny Depp and Kate Moss' Relationship Timeline: From Whirlwind Romance to Court Testimony

Johnny Depp and Kate Moss were the '90s "it couple." Depp and Moss met in 1994, after celebrity columnist, George Wayne, claimed to have introduced the pair at New York’s Cafe Tabac. From then, they were inseparable, hitting red carpets and trashing hotel rooms together during their four-year love affair.

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor and the model were believed to have called it quits in 1997, with Depp taking responsibility for their ultimate demise. Calling himself, "difficult to get on with," the now 59-year-old actor said he let his work get in the way of their relationship. 

Both Depp and Moss would go on to date and marry, and eventually have children, with Depp welcoming Lily-Rose Depp in 1999 with ex, Vanessa Paradis, followed by Jack in 2002. That same year, Moss welcomed her daughter, Lila, with Dazed Media founder Jefferson Hack.

Though their romance was short-lived, the pair have remained friends and have spoken fondly about each other over the years. The relationship seemed to have had a lasting effect on the both of them, with their bond often described as "strong."

That bond was evidenced this past year, when Moss jumped to Depp's aid in his defamation trial against his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Moss testified on Depp's behalf, negating any allegations of abuse made by Heard in her testimony.

Moss stepping onto the stand ultimately helped the actor. He won the case and was awarded over $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, while Heard won $2 million in her countersuit against Depp. 

Following her appearance on the stand, Moss continued her public support of Depp. The model was spotted attending Depp's concert at Royal Albert Hall in London where he performed with his musical collaborator, guitarist Jeff Beck.

With their relationship continuing to make the headlines, ET takes a closer look at how these lovers-turned-friends came to be.

Depp and Moss meet in 1994

Moss and Depp began dating after allegedly being introduced at Cafe Tabac in New York. That same year, Depp was arrested for trashing a room at The Mark Hotel in New York while Moss was said to be sleeping. Police reportedly found Moss and the Edward Scissorhands actor sitting amid the wreckage when they arrived at the scene. Depp admitted to the incident in 2020 while testifying in his libel lawsuit against The Sun. "I actually told the security guard when he came to my room that I was more than willing to pay for everything I had broken," he said at the time.

They call things off 

Despite hitting red carpets together, and being photographed on each other's arms around the world, the pair were said to have called off their relationship in 1997.

Spotted together at Cannes

Though the couple was believed to have called it quits in 1997, Moss and Depp re-ignited relationship rumors when they were spotted together, holding hands, at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998. They ultimately split for good later that year.

Depp takes responsibility for their split

That same year, Depp took the blame for their breakup, telling Hello! Magazine that he took responsibility for what went wrong between the pair.

"I have never got that emotional over a woman before. I have been so stupid because we had so much going for our relationship. I’m the one who has to take responsibility for what happened – I was difficult to get on with, I let my work get in the way and I didn’t give her the attention I should have done," Depp said at the time.

"The whole thing was crazy because I should never have got so worked up over what people had to say about my work," he added. "Sure, I should care about my movies but when I get home, I should try to leave that stuff behind. I couldn’t do that, and I was horrific to live with. Trust me, I’m a total moron sometimes."

Moss opens up about their relationship 

While Moss largely remained mum about their relationship over the years, she opened up to Vanity Fair in 2012 about how the breakup affected her. Calling their split a "nightmare," Moss told the magazine that she cried for "years and years" after breaking up with the 21 Jump Street star.

"There’s nobody that’s ever really been able to take care of me. Johnny did for a bit. I believed what he said. Like if I said, 'What do I do?' he’d tell me," Moss told the outlet. The British supermodel continued, "I really lost that gauge of [having] somebody I could trust. [It was a] nightmare."

Amber Heard ropes Moss into defamation trial 

Depp and Heard's contentious legal battle began when Depp sued Heard for defamation following an article she wrote for the Washington Post in 2018 that alleged abuse against her from an unnamed partner.

It continued in 2020, during Depp's libel trial against The Sun, after the outlet published an article that called him a "wife beater." During the trial, Heard took the stand and mentioned an incident that she said allegedly occurred between Depp and Moss during their relationship. She claimed that Depp had pushed Moss down the stairs during a trip to a resort in Jamaica with the actor.

Heard later went on to testify that during an alleged 2015 altercation between Depp and her sister, Whitney Henriquez, she had that rumor about Moss in her mind.

"I remembered information I had heard [that] he pushed a former girlfriend -- I believe it was Kate Moss -- down the stairs. I had heard this rumor from two people, and it was fresh in my mind," Heard said at the time.

Moss testifies on Depp's behalf in defamation trial

Two years later in 2022, during Depp and Heard's defamation trial in Virginia, Moss took the stand in an effort to set the story straight, after Heard's defense team used Depp and Moss' relationship as a reference to the actor's alleged aggressive past.

Heard's lawyers alleged that Depp pushed Heard's sister, Whitney, down a flight of stairs, and as evidence, they brought up the allegation that Depp did the same act to Moss years ago. 

Appearing virtually, Moss told the court that Depp never "pushed, kicked or threw" her down any stairs, adding that she fell down the stairs due to a rainstorm.

"As I left the room, I slid down the stairs and I hurt my back," Moss explained. "I screamed because I didn't know what happened to me and I was in pain. He came running back to help me and carried me to my room and got me medical attention. He never pushed me, kicked me or threw me down any stairs."

Depp wins the trial, Moss continues to show support

The trial spanned six weeks with the jury unanimously deciding that Depp was defamed by the 36-year-old actress and that she "acted with actual malice."

Depp was awarded over $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, while Heard won $2 million in her countersuit against Depp. In July, Heard filed to appeal the verdict awarded to Depp, and he filed to appeal the verdict awarded to her.

Following her appearance on the stand, Moss continued her public support of Depp. The model was spotted attending Depp's concert at Royal Albert Hall in London over the summer, where he performed with his musical collaborator, guitarist Jeff Beck. 

Moss explains reason for aiding in Depp's legal battle

While appearing as a guest on the BBC radio interview show Desert Island Discs in July, Moss detailed her motivation behind joining the legal battle. "I believe in the truth, and I believe in fairness and justice," she said pointedly. 

"I know the truth about Johnny, I know he never kicked me down the stairs... I had to say that truth," Moss went on to explain.

Moss looks back fondly on their relationship in British Vogue's "Life in Looks" segment

While looking back at her "Life in Looks" for British Vogue, the 48-year-old London native touched on her relationship with Depp, and some of the special moments they shared over the years.

"Aww, this was when I just met Johnny," Moss gushed after flipping to a photo of herself at Los Angeles International Airport. In the pic, the young model was dressed in a ripped white tank top and blue jeans, with a leopard print bag on her arm -- both of which she said she still has today.

"That's going to L.A. from New York to go to see Johnny," she recounted. "That was like, I was on the go. Life was happening."

Flipping through the Vogue photo book, Moss landed on another photo that reminded her of her time with Depp -- a 1995 shot of her at the CFDA Fashion Awards in New York. The runway star broke down the look, from the dress, which she was gifted by John Galliano for her 21st birthday to her "favorite" pair of black patent Mary Jane pumps from Manolo Blahnik and a very special diamond necklace, which she says was a gift from Depp.

"They were the first diamonds I ever owned," Moss recalled. "He pulled them out of the crack of his a**."

"We were going out for dinner, and he said, 'I've got something in my bum. Can you have a look?'" Moss continued, elaborating on how the memorable moment came to be. "And I was like, 'What?' And I put my hand down his trousers and I pulled out a diamond necklace. That diamond necklace." 

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