Is Johnny Depp single because of his mother? Betty Sue Palmer disliked exes Vanessa Paradis and Amber Heard
Johnny Depp has never made any secret of his love for his mother, who passed away in May 2016 after a battling a long illness at 81. But his very love for his mother might have been disastrous for his relationships with other women in his life.
Depp's parents divorced in 1978 when he was 15. His mother, Betty Sue Palmer, who was a waitress at the time, married Robert Palmer, whom Depp has called "an inspiration." Since his childhood, the 'Pirates of Caribbean' actor remained very close to his mother even as he achieved fame and stardom over the years.
His mother has been a frequent guest of the actor at various Hollywood functions over the years. In 2004, Betty Sue showed up with her son to the Academy Awards when he was nominated for best actor for 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.'
In a 2013 interview with Rolling Stone, Depp opened up about how his mother raised him and his siblings the best she could despite their less-than-modest background.
“My mother was raised in a shack, in the wilds of Appalachia, where the toilet was an outhouse,” he said. “She used to say she did the same things that her mom did – and her mom certainly didn’t know any better. With my kids, they’re told 75 times a day that they’re loved. One thing I know is they feel loved and secure and happy and needed and necessary and a part of something.”
During a press conference at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2015, he dished about the most important advice he had gotten from his mother. "I come from nothing but hillbillies and my mom said to me, ‘All right here’s the deal, next time anybody puts their hands on you, pick up a brick and lay them out,'" he told the reporters.
On his upper left arm, Depp has his mother's name tattooed inside a heart. And in 1995 he spent nearly $1 million to purchase a 43-acre Kentucky farm for her.
A few months after his mother passed away, he opened up about her resilience as he accepted the Rhonda’s Kiss Healing and Hope Award, which honored him for his support of cancer patients.
“She was a hellcat,” Depp told audience members, People magazine reported. “She was mean, but she was funny. The amount of care and love she received from every member of the staff and the brilliant and dedicated specialists who tirelessly gave of themselves far beyond the call of duty, I am truly humbled by this kindness. Their kindness and your infinite knowledge, doctors and specialists.”
His relationship with his mother also became a cause of a rift between him and his sister, Debbi. In the past, the siblings allegedly had a falling out over who would care for Betty Sue and didn’t speak for a year. She added that Debbie’s side of the family agreed not to contact Johnny or their mother and even signed a contract outlining the alleged decision. In the end, Depp's sister agreed to sign a contract that said that she will not contact Depp or their mother, Independent reported.
Despite maintaining a close relationship with her son, she was reportedly anything but close with the women Depp shared serious relationships with in the past.
Vanessa Paradis
Although Paradis and Depp never got married, the couple dated for 14 long years (1998-2012) and the French singer is also the baby mama of the actor's two children, Lily-Rose Depp, and John Christopher Depp III.
Heather Rassel, the ex-wife of Depp's nephew, Billy Rassel, said back in 2015 that Depp and Paradis' breakup might have had something to do with the fact that she did not get along with his mother and that Depp chose his mum over his former girlfriend a number of times.
“I don’t like Vanessa. I’m sorry but she was a total b***h. It’s what ended their relationship. I think her family took advantage of Johnny, too,” she claimed, Independent reported. “His mum Betty would never complain to Johnny about Vanessa or to her face. She was always polite, nice and cordial to her but to us, she was a lot more honest.”
Paradis has never mad-mouthed his mother in public and the couple has been spotted attending Hollywood events along with Betty Sue in the years that they were dating.
Amber Heard
Depp's former wife filed for divorce just three days after Depp's mother. The 30-year-old actress filed a divorce petition on May 23, 2016, citing irreconcilable differences, ending her and Depp's 15-month marriage and seeking spousal support, triggering a battle over Depp's $400M fortune.
Soon media reports started circulating that said that Depp's mother, sisters (Dembrowski and Debbi Depp), and his two children from previous marriage all hated the 'Aquaman' actress. Sources told TMZ back in 2016 that all of them believed Heard would "treat him like c***", and that his mother thought that the actress was a golddigger and was using him to boost her career.
Although they never dissed the 'Aquaman' actress in public, rumors of their negative stance toward her became potent after Heard said in her divorce filing that she had separated from Depp on May 22, while he was coping with the loss of his mother. One of the reported causes behind the breakdown of their relationship was the fact that Depp had moved his mother into the Los Angeles compound he shared with Heard.