Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · June 5, 2025 · Entertainment

Chris Martin & Dakota Johnson Split: Career Clashes and Emotional Struggles

The REAL reason behind Chris Martin and Dakota Johnson¿s split is revealed and it's reportedly been 'incredibly painful' for the actress as the pair go their separate ways after eight years

SCANDALOUS SPLIT!

Dakota Johnson, 35, and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, 48, have finally called it quits after eight years of on-again, off-again romance. The actress is reportedly "in incredible pain" over the split, but sources close to the couple reveal that their careers were the major reason for their demise.

The two had been going strong since 2017, with Dakota even getting engaged to Chris at some point. But it seems that the demands of his music career and her own Hollywood endeavors took a toll on their relationship. According to insiders, Chris's constant touring schedule made it impossible for them to settle down together.

A source said : 'Dakota wanted this relationship to work. She not only loves Chris, but his two kids, and that loss feels incredibly painful' (Dakota pictured at Cannes in May)

"Dakota wanted this relationship to work," a source spills. "She loves Chris and his two kids like family, and losing that dynamic is incredibly painful." The insider adds that the couple's careers were always the elephant in the room, but they tried to make it work despite the distance.

The breakup was allegedly amicable, but Dakota is said to be struggling with the loss. "Settling down wasn't going to happen," a source reveals. "Chris's music career comes first, and Dakota knew that."

So what went wrong? Sources suggest that Chris's hectic touring schedule made it difficult for him to take his foot off the pedal and commit fully to their relationship. And with Dakota's busy Hollywood schedule, they just couldn't find the time to spend together.

While they admitted having children together didn't look to be on the cards, their careers had also been getting in the way of the pair settling down together amid Chris' busy tour schedule

But it wasn't all smooth sailing from the start. The couple had a brief rumored split in 2019, which was allegedly due to Chris pushing for them to have kids. However, they quickly got back together and continued their on-again, off-again romance.

The news of their breakup comes just days after Dakota was spotted with Jennifer Lawrence, Chris's ex-girlfriend Annabelle Wallis, and Gwyneth Paltrow, the mother of his two children. It seems like the whole group had a mini-reunion, but it may have been too little, too late for the couple.

In an ironic twist, Dakota gushed over Chris's kids in a 2024 interview, saying she loves them "like her life depends on it." But now that the relationship is over, it seems like those feelings are bittersweet.

Chris famously split from actress wife Gwyneth Paltrow , the mother of his two children Apple, 21, and Moses, 19, in March 2014 after ten years of marriage

As for Gwyneth Paltrow, the mother of Chris's two children, she has been vocal about her support for Dakota. In a 2020 interview with Harper's Bazaar, Paltrow called Dakota "a total modern family" and said she loves her like one of her own.

But what about Chris? Has he moved on to greener pastures? Sources close to the couple suggest that there's a chance they may reconcile in the future. After all, they've had their fair share of breakups and makeups over the years.

As for now, it seems like Dakota is taking things one step at a time. She was spotted without her engagement ring on Wednesday, hours before the split news broke. And with her busy Hollywood schedule ahead of her, it's likely that she'll be focusing on her career rather than wallowing in heartbreak.

Dakota had forged a close bond with Chris' ex Gwyneth (pictured together)

UPDATE

TheScholarlyNote.com first reported trouble between Dakota and Chris back in August 2024, but a rep later confirmed they were still together. Now, it seems like the couple has finally called it quits for good.

In related news, Don Johnson, Dakota's father, seemed to confirm his daughter's relationship with Martin in an interview with Digital Spy when he joked: "Yeah, that's... uh troubling, isn't it? No, she's a big girl, she can handle herself!"

Dakota's mother, Melanie Griffith, also opened up about Martin during a Global Gift Foundation USA Women's Empowerment Luncheon, saying: ‘I adore him!’

As for Chris's ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow, she has been vocal about her support for Dakota. In a 2020 interview with Harper's Bazaar, Paltrow called Dakota "a total modern family" and said she loves her like one of her own.

The breakup may be a shock to fans, but it seems like the couple had been growing apart for some time. As one source puts it: "They've been on-again, off-again for so long that it's hard to keep track. But ultimately, their careers got in the way, and they couldn't make it work."

Sources

  • TheScholarlyNote.com
  • PEOPLE
  • Tatler
  • Harper's Bazaar