Chris Martin and Dakota Johnson are engaged!
According to a source, the couple “got engaged years ago,” but decided to keep the news to themselves.
After Martin and his ex-wife, Gwyneth Paltrow, “consciously uncoupled” in 2014 and finalized their divorce in 2016, the Coldplay singer began a relationship with Johnson sometime in 2017.
In October 2021, Martin declared his love for the actress when he publicly dedicated his song “Universe” to Johnson during a Coldplay concert. “This is about my universe, and she’s here,” he said to the audience.
From their first date to their cozy life in Malibu, here’s everything to know about Chris Martin and Dakota Johnson’s romance.
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October 2017: Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin are spotted on a date in L.A.
Johnson and Martin were first spotted together in October 2017 on what appeared to be a romantic date at a sushi restaurant in Los Angeles.
November 2017: Dakota Johnson watches Chris Martin perform
A month later, Johnson was seen at a Coldplay concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As PEOPLE reported at the time, many fans took to social media to post pictures of Johnson enjoying the show.
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January 2018: Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin go on a few more dates
In early 2018, the pair continued spending time together and were spotted on several quiet dates in L.A.
In January, the pair were seen having a Friday night dinner at Soho House in Malibu. “Chris and Dakota arrived together in Chris’ car. They met up with friends and had a fun night,” an eyewitness told PEOPLE. “They both seemed very happy. They were flirty, and also left the restaurant together.”
Later that month, Martin and Johnson were spotted arm in arm walking on the beach. According to one source, they spent “most of the weekend together in Malibu.”
The couple then made their first public appearance at Stella McCartney’s Autumn 2018 Collection. As PEOPLE reported, the couple chose not to make their red carpet debut, but instead used a private entrance.
While they may have been camera shy, they apparently displayed their affection inside the event. “They walked in holding hands and Dakota was not letting go — she was super into the PDA,” a witness said. “When Chris let go of her hand, she slipped her arm through his.”
In January, Johnson’s father, Don Johnson, also appeared to confirm the rumors of his daughter’s relationship during an interview with Digital Spy. “Yeah, that’s… uh troubling, isn’t it? No, she’s a big girl, she can handle herself!” he said.
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May 2018: Dakota Johnson’s mom opens up about Chris Martin
Shortly after Johnson’s father seemed to confirm his daughter’s relationship, her mother, Melanie Griffith, also opened up about Johnson’s love life.
“I adore him!” Griffith said during the Global Gift Foundation USA Women’s Empowerment Luncheon at the Yardbird Southern Table & Bar. She kept her comments brief out of respect for her daughter’s privacy. “She is very private about her life and I respect that,” she added.
In the summer of 2018, Johnson and Martin’s relationship appeared to be going as strong as ever. In June, they were seen hand in hand while walking Martin’s dog Zeppelin in Malibu.
According to one source, their relationship was becoming more serious. “For the past two weeks, they have spent a lot of time together,” a source told PEOPLE. “Chris lives in Malibu and Dakota seems to love hanging out there. They occasionally go for dinner with friends, but mostly have friends over at home.”
