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 Johnson 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.
After nearly seven years together, Martin proposed but they kept the news quiet.
“Chris and Dakota have been engaged for a while now, but they’re not the type to make some huge public announcement because they try to keep their relationship as private as possible,” a source told Us in March 2024, nearly one year later. “They’re not in a huge rush to get married and don’t have a final wedding date set just yet.”
Keep scrolling for a look back at Martin and Johnson’s whirlwind love story:
December 2017
Us exclusively confirmed in December 2017 that the pair were “definitely dating” after they jetted off to Israel for a romantic getaway. The duo had also been spotted together at a sushi restaurant in Los Angeles. “It’s more than just a fling,” a source revealed.
January 2018
When the actress’ father, Don Johnson, was asked about her relationship with Martin on the red carpet at the National Television Awards, he jokingly told a Digital Spy reporter that it was “troubling,” before changing his tune. “No, she’s a big girl, she can handle herself!”
February 2018
After photos of Johnson and Martin holding hands at Ellen DeGeneres’ 60th birthday hit the internet, fellow partygoer Diana Keaton appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to talk about meeting the Coldplay frontman at the bash. “He was with Dakota right — they’re a couple. Got it?” she said. “So, what I’m saying is — he’s gorgeous.”
May 2018
Melanie Griffith, Johnson’s mom, gave her daughter’s new beau a major seal of approval while speaking to Us and other reporters at a women’s empowerment event. “I adore him!” Griffith gushed. “She is very private about her life and I respect that.”
September 2018
The Suspiria star made a rare comment about her romance during an interview with Tatler, admitting that she was “very happy” with the “Yellow” crooner. A source later told Us that Martin was “head over heels” and was already considering engagement.
That same month, the two were seen sporting matching arm tattoos of an infinity symbol with two Xs below it.
September 2018
The Suspiria star made a rare comment about her romance during an interview with Tatler, admitting that she was “very happy” with the “Yellow” crooner. A source later told Us that Martin was “head over heels” and was already considering engagement.
October 2018
A rep for Johnson told Us that the star was not pregnant despite rumors that she had thrown a sex reveal party at her home. In actuality, the pink and blue balloons were for Johnson’s birthday party.
Later that month, Johnson appeared on Ellen to again deny the pregnancy rumors. “The only thing I’m pregnant with is a lot of good ideas, but not any babies,” she said.
December 2018
“Chris is head over heels,” a source told Us, predicting the couple would be engaged “soon,” but that the father of Apple and Moses “wanted to make sure the kids didn’t have too much change all at once” since Paltrow had married Falchuk only three months earlier. “He’s a great dad,” the source added.
April 2019
The camera shy couple were seen walking Johnson’s dog in Malibu. It was the first time in nearly four months that the pair were photographed together.
June 2019
Nearly two years into their relationship, the duo sparked rumors that there was trouble in paradise. At the time, Martin was rumored to have locked lips with Dua Lipa at Glastonbury Festival in the U.K. — but his rep denied the reports. “They were both in the same area of the festival with a larger group of friends,” the rep told the Daily Mail.
August 2019
Less than two months after their connection cooled off, Johnson and the “Something Just Like This” singer rekindled their spark. Martin joined his girlfriend at the Los Angeles premiere of The Peanut Butter Falcon days after the duo hit a wrap party for The High Note.
January 2020
One big, blended family! During an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the Goop founder revealed her true feelings about her ex-husband’s new flame. “I love her,” Paltrow said. “I can see how it would seem weird because it’s sort of unconventional. But I think, in this case, just having passed through it iteratively, I just adore her.” A source previously told Us that Paltrow “pushed” the pair to reconcile after their brief 2019 split.
March 2020
The How to Be Single star took to her friend Olivia Wilde’s Instagram to show people how to properly wash their hands amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, those aren’t her hands she’s washing, they’re Martin’s, which confirmed that the couple were still going strong during quarantine.
May 2020
Johnson directed the music video for Coldplay’s 2019 single “Cry Cry Cry” — but she insisted that there wasn’t any special treatment. “I wrote the story and pitched it to the band like every other director did, and they chose mine,” she told Marie Claire of the experience, joking, “Not because they’re partial to me at all.”
December 2020
Next steps? Johnson was photographed sporting a huge emerald ring on her left hand while shopping for the 2020 holidays, instantly sparking speculation that Martin had proposed. Neither star commented on the rumors at the time.
January 2021
The “In My Place” artist and the Lost Daughter actress dropped millions on a Malibu mansion in January 2021 and were “making it their primary residence,” per a source. “They are really thrilled and happy with their purchase,” an insider exclusively revealed, adding that the twosome were “very excited to move in” together.
July 2021
The duo enjoyed a romantic trip to Spain that included a boat ride and a stroll around a town in the Balearic Islands.
October 2021
Martin paid tribute to his girlfriend before performing “My Universe” during one of Coldplay’s London shows. “This is about my universe. And she’s here!” he told the crowd as he gestured toward Johnson, who was sitting the balcony.
November 2021
“[Post-COVID safety protocols have] been weird,” the High Note actress told The Hollywood Reporter during a November 2021 interview. “If I’ve been working, I can’t really be around my parents because they’re older. But my friends and my partner [Martin], we’ve been together a lot, and it’s great.”
She further revealed to the outlet that the couple had gotten into binge-watching Netflix’s Squid Game, calling it “so intense.” She added, “It’s confusingly f—ked up because it’s joyful at moments and then it’s horrifying. And that’s a really interesting combo.”
December 2021
Johnson offered rare insight into what she and Martin like to do during their alone time. “We’ve been together for quite a while,” she told Elle UK. “And we go out sometimes but we both work so much that it’s nice to be at home and be cozy and private. Most of the partying takes place inside my house.”
January 2022
While Johnson was promoting her film, Cha Cha Real Smooth, during a video Q&A with the Sundance Institute, Martin made an accidental cameo as he seemingly helped his girlfriend navigate some technical difficulties. The Coldplay frontman was seated behind Johnson when she joined the chat, and he held up his fingers in a peace sign before ducking out of the room. The Lost Daughter star simply laughed off the awkward moment.
January 2022
The couple stepped out for a stylish date night in Los Angeles, dining at an Italian restaurant while dressed to the nines. That same month, Paltrow gushed over her ex-husband’s relationship, telling her Instagram followers during a Q&A that she loves the Our Friend actress “very much.”
April 2022
The twosome were all smiles as they posed with Barbra Streisand at a tea party.
June 2022
The Cha Cha Real Smooth star shared a sweet story about a recent trip to the beach with her beau in her Vanity Fair cover story. “Chris and I came down here the other day, and I was without my glasses,” she explained. “We were watching ‘seals’ for 10, 15 minutes — and it was seaweed. He just let me think that they were seals the whole time.”
July 2022
While Coldplay embarked on their Music of the Spheres World Tour, Martin opened up about the decision to provide assistance to hard-of-hearing fans at the band’s shows — and credited Johnson with the idea. “My partner, she said, ‘I got you a Christmas present, a Subpac,'” the singer recalled during an interview with CBS Mornings. “She said, ‘It’s like what Finneas wears on stage when he’s with Billie [Eilish].’ And it vibrates, so it’s useful for someone like Finneas to hear where the one is on the bass drum.”
Martin and his bandmates noted that it made them “emotional” to help make live music accessible to fans of all abilities.
March 2024
Us confirmed on March 8 that Martin and Johnson got engaged “a while” ago and had already started wedding planning.
“They absolutely plan on having Apple and Moses there, and they wouldn’t feel complete without inviting Gwyneth too,” a source said. “Dakota and Gwyneth have grown very close over the years and they consider themselves family at this point. One of the most important things to Chris is how beautifully Dakota fits into the lives of him and his children.”
August 2024
After supporting Martin on tour throughout the summer, Johnson sparked split rumors when she was spotted without her engagement ring out in Los Angeles. Johnson’s rep denied on August 16 there are any issues, telling Us, “The reports are not true,” adding, “They are happily together.”
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