In retrospect, Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin have always been a more dramatic and mercurial couple, it’s just that they’re both so good at being private that most people never realized how dramatic it all was. Dakota and Chris started seeing each other eight years ago. They got engaged circa 2020, but they never managed to get down the aisle. They also seemingly broke up multiple times over the course of eight years, and they recently split up again. People Mag’s exclusive said this split sounds like the big one, the final one.
Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin have broken up, ending their nearly eight-year, on-off relationship, multiple sources tell PEOPLE.
“It feels final this time,” one source said of the split. Reps for the stars did not respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
The Materialists actress, 35, and the Coldplay singer, 48, who were first romantically linked in 2017, were photographed together two weeks ago when they stepped out in Malibu together on May 16. Before that, in January, the pair held hands in India, where Martin was touring with his band.
In March 2024, an insider told PEOPLE that Johnson and Martin had actually been engaged for “years” after first sparking engagement rumors in 2020, though they were “in no rush to get married” at the time.
Even if it was off-and-on, eight years together is no joke. I didn’t even realize that this had been happening for so long. There are barely any photos of them together too. I know some of that is Dakota’s call, but Chris was the same way with Gwyneth and Annabelle Wallis. I’ve always thought that it must be so difficult to be in a relationship with a guy who is terrified of being seen with you in public. At some point, don’t you just want a partnership where you can hold hands and walk down the street together? At some point, don’t you want your partner to make the effort to come out and support you at your work events? That’s never been Chris though. I’m not saying that’s why they broke up – I have no idea – but it must have been difficult for Dakota. Anyway, I hope that for her next boyfriend, Dakota bags a hottie who wants to hold her hand.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- The “Splitsville” photocall at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2025 in Cannes, France. Festival de Cannes 2025 – photocall Splitsville – Adria Arjona , Dakota Johnson,Image: 1000984089, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Lionel Guericolas/Avalon
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- Dakota Johnson seen on the Red Carpet for Highest 2 Lowest during the 78th Festival de Cannes (Cannes International Film Festival) at Palais des Festivals, Cannes, , France on 19 May 2025. Picture,Image: 1001042761, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights – Julie Edwards/Avalon.Red, Model Release: no, Credit line: Julie Edwards/Avalon
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- Dakota Johnson of “Splitsville” attend the “Highest 2 Lowest” red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2025 in Cannes, France.,Image: 1001046508, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Olivier Huitel/Avalon
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- Dakota Johnson seen at the Photocall for Splitsville during the 78th Festival de Cannes (Cannes International Film Festival) at Palais des Festivals, Cannes, , France on 19 May 2025. Picture,Image: 1001057069, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights – Julie Edwards/Avalon.Red, Model Release: no, Credit line: Julie Edwards/Avalon
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- Kering Women In Motion dinner at 78th Cannes Film Festival Featuring: Dakota Johnson Where: Cannes, France When: 18 May 2025 Credit: Julien Reynaud/APS-Medias/Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Celebrities attend the ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ premiere during the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival Featuring: Dakota Johnson Where: Cannes, Italy When: 19 May 2025 Credit: IPA/INSTARimages **UK, USA AND AUSTRALIA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Celebrities attend the ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ premiere during the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival Featuring: Dakota Johnson Where: Cannes, France When: 19 May 2025 Credit: Doug Peters/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The opening ceremony of the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver Featuring: Chris Martin Where: Vancouver, Canada When: 08 Feb 2025 Credit: INSTARimages
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- The opening ceremony of the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver Featuring: Chris Martin Where: Vancouver, Canada When: 08 Feb 2025 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
Chris Martin fan, wish them both well
Could be the biological clock ticking for Dakota. 35 is a big line for some women. Don’t think Chris wants to start all over again with kids especially after what happened with Gwyneth. Just hope he didn’t string her along. Best of luck to them both.
I actually think Chris Martin is the one who makes the call on ending things.
Paltrow didn’t want a separation and Dakota’s people have already gone to rival outlets to let it be known that this is likely temporary and a reconciliation is possible.
After 8 years……don’t know why you would be open to this roundabout again.
But hey not my life, nor my choice!😉😉😉😉
That was the story back then, Chris is the one who wanted to officially pull the plug. Gwyneth, for all her eccentricities, seemed to truly mourn the end of her marriage and the impact it could have on her children.
She’s doing press, solo and with Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal, right now for The Materialists. Probably decided to get the story out and avoid any questions.
According to the CB archives here, he broke up with her during the Madame Web movie, too. So if this is true, that’s awful.
Oh, is that why she was papped out with Chris’s other ex Jennifer Lawrence recently? They were trading stories?
She dated him too??!?
Yeah, briefly.
Yeah. And it was Chris who ended it with Lawrence.
Has he ever talked about what his big aversion is to being seen in public with a woman?
Coldplay has achieved international success but they’re nowhere near the level of someone like Taylor Swift, BTS, etc. I’d think he could travel about and live about his life without constant fear of being seen. And when you’ve been with someone for years who cares if people know you’re together? Your family, friends, colleagues, etc know you are a couple so what’s the big deal?
I think you are massively underestimating Coldplay. They are far bigger than BTS. BTS had a moment. Coldplay have been massive for 25 years now. Coldplay are currently the 6th most listened to artist on Spotify, Taylor is 10th, BTS is 236th.
In a previous decade….sure?
But since 2020 Taylor Swift, Drake, The Weeknd, BTS, Billie Eilish, Ed Sheeran, etc have been the top streamed artists on Spotify. Even Eminem has seem a resurgence; his music is trending with Gen Z and even Gen Alpha.
You’re right, I had no idea that Coldplay has ever been a top streamer on Spotify. Would have never guessed that. I didn’t even know they still put out music. But I don’t really use Spotify.
This is completely false.
There is also a difference between top streamed, top followed, etc on Spotify. They have a list of different rankings for their platform.
The top followed artists on Spotify as of 1 May, 2025 are, in order:
Arijit Singh, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Billie, Ariana, The Weeknd, Eminem, Drake, Bad Bunny & Justin Bieber.
However, the ranking of top streamed artists so far in 2025 is slightly different; most of the same names are on that list, just in a different order.
BTS is in & barely out of all of Spotify’s top ten rankings. Same with Justin Bieber. Coldplay is nowhere near the top ten. Justin Bieber hasn’t put out much new music & he still out performs Coldplay on every ranking.
No idea why you’d think CP is #6 when they don’t even make it into the top 20 let alone bottom of top ten.
Spotify rankings are hard to find accurate numbers for.
What I just read stated that Coldplay has been in the top ten but that was back in 2023. So BTS, Taylor and others have definitely surpassed them.
It could have been Gwyneth’s call, or at least agreement on public PDA. Esp after her relationships with Affleck & Pitt were splashed about as her career was on the rise. It’s amazing what you don’t see [or hear] on the other side of the camera. It’s mostly men who will shout out the most insulting things to women hoping to prompt an unfortunate look. There used to be b-roll footage on YT where you could hear what they were saying. I suspect a lot of couples striving to nurture their relationships are reluctant to contribute that part of their life because once you do, it becomes difficult to navigate, especially w/ the sidewalk shutter rats who abandon any civility to make a buck.
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The paps were absolutely furious w/ the lost opportunity of John’s wedding to Carolyn Bessette & the one miserly pic they gave away for free. The right photo would have brought in a nice sum of money w/ copyright & licensing. They wasted no time taking it out on her as she tried to navigate the streets of NYC.
If you only compare streaming on Spotify, you will never get a true picture of an artist’s popularity. Album sales, concert numbers and revenue, counts on other streaming services, YT views, award wins, are all important metrics. And are you talking about global popularity or just the West? Because you could easily argue that Bad Bunny, SB19, and several KPop bands (not just BTS) are higher ranked than Coldplay. There is so much great music out there.
Not too many people interested about this breakup it seems. Maybe because we’ve heard it was happening at least two other times before (one time before it was said she didn’t want kids and he did). I can’t imagine having a relationship work easily when one partner is always on tour. And she works a lot too. I’m someone that doesn’t believe in the Kidman- urban marriage at all either.
Ohhh what’s the tea on the Kidman-Urban marriage??
Completely mystified by what she saw in him.
I have a small soft spot for Dakota. Anyone who can survive to adulthood with Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith as parents deserves some space.
Seems like her career is on fire right now, so why would she want to bring everything to a screeching halt with a baby?
Dakota can freeze her eggs if that’s really what she wants, or not. In other words, she’s got options.
No one would be talking about reproductive issues in reference to a 35-year-old male in the entertainment industry. Yes, biology, but also entirely her own business/choice.
You nailed it 👏🏼
I hope she gets what she wants in life. Be it with herself or with someone else. I think she is so funny and pretty, and has likely survived some really tough stuff in her famous family.
The fact that she survived her soap opera of a family and hasn’t lived a tumultuous adulthood is amazing. Good for her!
She needs someone supportive and drama-free.
I think Chris Martin is a diva.
And for what? CP is a nice band but they’re not changing the world with their music. They’re kind of like Maroon 5 now. Changed their music to keep up with trends. Drop the egos, boys.
Attended a Coldplay concert in Seattle abput 20 years ago. Great live performance. Loved their music at that time. Those guys were solid musicians.
But that was their old music.
Then they put out songs with the Chainsmokers or whatever those dudes call themselves. Dreck!
I like each of them separately and wish them the best. What little I saw of them together was cute (like during Covid times when he helped her with tech difficulties), but on-again, off-again rarely makes for long term success stories.
annabelle actually dumped him for chris pine so good for her