Lily-Rose Depp has quickly risen from living a private life to being one of today's major IT girls. But despite her fame, she remains mysterious to the public. Here are things most people may not know about the model.
Meet Lily-Rose
Back in 1999, Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis welcomed their first-born, Lily-Rose Depp. For years she remained behind closed doors even though her parents are arguably some of the most well-known stars in Hollywood.
"Parents have always tried to protect me from the press attention and did not take me to a premiere or other secular celebration," the 23-year-old admitted. But when she got older, Lily-Rose took it upon herself to put her foot in the door of Hollywood. And let's just say she was more than successful...
Behind Closed Doors
Lily-Rose has now been relatively famous for a few years, yet her life remains a secret from most of her fans. It seems like the actress only shares what she wants to share - nothing more, nothing less. "The fact that people see my photos on Instagram, allows them to think that they know me well, but they do not," she said.
"The image on Instagram has nothing to do with a real person." Lily-Rose revealed that there is, in fact, a reason why in most paparazzi photos of her she has no expression or smile. "If I wanted to show the world my cheerful side, I would not have to wait for photographers."
From City to City
Having an American dad and a French mom meant that Lily-Rose grew up traveling back and forth from L.A. to Paris. Not only did she learn two languages, but she experienced two cultures. "I feel pretty connected to both cultures," she said. "I can seem fully French when I'm in France or totally like a Valley girl when I'm in LA."
But based on what she's said, we're gonna assume she does have a favorite. "There's something more personable in Europe than there is here," she confessed during an interview with Natalie Portman for CR Fashion Book. "In the States, there's more of a façade that I see people putting on. For me, the French culture is richer."
She's Bilingual
Thanks to her background Lily-Rose is fluent in both English and French. This has definitely come in handy for her acting career since, in some roles like the ones in Planetarium and A Faithful Man, she speaks French. In fact, for the former, she said it was "the first time [she] read a script all in French."
Except we would have never guessed that because her accent is nearly flawless! Her mom, Paradis, has even clarified during an interview with the Telegraph that neither her daughter nor her son, Jack Depp has American accents. And after hearing Lily-Rose fluently speak in both languages, we have to agree.
Secret Talent
While filming an 'In the Bag' segment for British Vogue's Youtube, Lily-Rose showed off a skill of hers that we had no idea she had. The model is quite flexible, her fingers can even be bent back nearly all the way -who knew?! We guess her flexibility helps her get into those hard model poses.
At one point in the video, Lily-Rose showed off her ability to crack her toes and readjust her neck. We can't lie, we're pretty jealous that she can do that on her own without needing to pay a chiropractor! But was she born with this talent, or is the flexibility something she taught herself?
Her Favorite Hobby
It's possible that practicing yoga has helped Lily-Rose achieve her bendy muscles. "I am a little into yoga," she once confessed. But although she enjoys the exercise, it's not something that the actress does all the time - but rather every once in a while.
"I've done yoga, and it's fun, but I'm not the kind of person that can wake up and do it every morning. It's like, I have to be in the mood," she clarified. But overall, the model isn't too big on exercising. Instead, she moves her body through daily activities like her photoshoots, long days on set, and occasionally pilates.
Hospital Scare at Age 7
When Lily-Rose was 7 years old, she contracted an E. coli infection that caused her kidney to fail. She was quickly rushed to the hospital, where she stayed for weeks, as reported by The Daily Mail. "I lived in the hospital for three weeks with my kid, not knowing if she was going to make it or not," Johnny Depp revealed.
"When my daughter was ill in Great Ormond Street, it was the darkest period of my life," Depp opened up. "I'd always done these visits, but after that experience, the visits became more and more important." After his daughter was released, the actor donated $2 million dollars to the London-based hospital.
Overcoming More Health Concerns
Unfortunately, Lily-Rose's scare with E. coli isn't the only health concern she's had in the past. The model has also dealt with mental health struggles. But being famous has made things even more difficult for her as she is always concerned about what others might say about her struggles with illness.
She opened up to French ELLE, "It hurts a lot and depresses me, because I have spent a lot of energy fighting the disease," she admitted to the magazine. "I have battled an eating disorder for a long time and am very proud of the results that I have achieved."
A History With One Direction
Being the daughter of one of Hollywood's most sought-after actors definitely has its perks. When Lily-Rose was a young girl, she (just like nearly any other pre-teen in the country) was a big One Direction fan. And luckily for her, her dad had some strings to pull in the industry.
"My daughter, she's a great fan of One Direction, and she asked if she could go to see them on the Ellen Show," Depp explained to Jimmy Kimmel during an interview. "So I hooked it up." Depp was able to get all 5 of the band members to come over to his house to meet Lily-Rose. Talk about lucky!
Her Lifelong Dream
Before her successful modeling and acting career, Lily-Rose hoped to one day be a singer. After all, her mom is the singer of the infamous French song Joe le Taxi. And when she was around 13 years old, Lily-Rose helped her mom co-write a song on Paradis's album, Love Songs.
But, like many things in life, those plans didn't work out. "I wanted to be a singer, but once I started acting, I felt so comfortable. Now, all I want to do is act." Her ease and comfort behind the camera are quite obvious as an audience member. It's no wonder she's been booked so many times over the years.
Breaking Into Modeling
At around the same time that Lily-Rose started to act, she also began modeling. Her debut photoshoot was for an Australian magazine, Oyster, back when she was 15 in 2015. After that, her appearances in high-end magazines were never-ending. From Vogue UK, Japan, and Russia, ELLE France, to CR Fashion Book, she was a hit.
It comes as no surprise that Lily-Rose quickly became a sought-after model in the industry. Because, after all, her mom, Paradis, was also a model. But editorial shoots aren't the only thing the teenager blossomed in. She also walked many runaway shows for many high-end fashion houses, including Chanel.
Youngest Chanel Ambassador
In 2016, she was announced to be the youngest model to ever be the face of Chanel No. 5 L'EAU. "Lily-Rose Depp is currently the youngest Chanel brand ambassador to front global campaigns for the French house, acting as the most visible conduit between the French fashion house and the Gen Z consumer," wrote businessoffashion.com.
From there, the model worked with the luxury brand again and again. The same year she became the ambassador, Lily-Rose made her debut runway walk at the Métiers d'Art show in Paris, opening for the brand. Although it was her first year working with Chanel, she was no stranger to the fashion house.
Ties To Karl Lagerfield
As a youngster, Lily-Rose got to meet the late Karl Lagerfield, aka the infamous designer for the brand. The model's famous mom had known Lagerfield for years since she too was a model for Chanel as a teen. "I met Karl when I was eight, and I had horrible side bangs — like a Donald Trump comb-over," she revealed to Vogue UK.
Thanks to Lily-Rose's mom, she grew up loving the iconic fashion house. "My mom gave me a Chanel dress when I was younger. I felt special. I think anybody feels special in Chanel," she said. "Chanel has always been this big thing for me - there are baby pictures of me wearing my mom's Chanel pumps."
"Qualities of a Star"
It seems like Lily-Rose was a perfect match for Chanel. And Lagerfield knew that she had a special talent for the world of modeling. The late creative director admired the teen ever since he first met her years before she worked with him. "She used to come to the Chanel studio with her mother," he explained.
"She was a very sweet child, but who would have thought she would have such a strong and defined personality this early on?" he added. "Lily-Rose is a young girl from a new generation with all the qualities of a star." And let's just say he was not wrong about her!
Making It To The Big Screen
In 2014, Lily-Rose made her debut in Hollywood movies with her role in the movie Tusk. Written and directed by Kevin Smith, his daughter Harley Quinn also starred in the production. But that film was just the start for Depp. From there, she went on to be the star of Yoga's Hosers, The King, The Dancers, and more.
"It might be rare, but there are certain moments when you really don't feel like yourself," she gushed about her love for her job. "When you are in the character so fully, it's the best feeling ever. I so love it. Even if those moments come just once a day or every other day, they are just worth it."
Filming With Dad
Johnny Depp has always admired his daughter. "Lily's really together – she's a sharp kid and one of the smartest human beings I have ever met. Whatever she is doing, if she needs any advice, I'm there for her. Kids are going to make their own decisions, but I guess that the only thing you can do as a parent is to offer support."
His support was shown when he filmed with her. For the second edition of Kevin Smith's True North Trilogy, Yoga Hosers, both Johnny and Lily-Rose were featured to showcase their talent. Since the 2016 film was released, the father-daughter duo hasn't worked together again - but Lily-Rose says it's something she wouldn't rule out.
Following In Her Parents' Footsteps
Lily-Rose seemingly inherited her acting talents from her father's side and her modeling skill from her mother's. We think it's safe to say that the 23-year-old is following in the footsteps of her infamous parents… and can we really blame her? Especially since she was basically born to be a Chanel model.
"Chanel has always been part of my life," Lily-Rose told Vogue UK. "My mom has worked with them since she was 18." Growing up, Lily-Rose was surrounded by the entertainment industry. But while it may look like Johnny and Vanessa Paradis wanted this life for their daughter, it was actually quite the opposite…
Parents' Opinion of Her Fame
Back in 2013, Paradis was speaking to Telegraph when they asked the mother how she felt about Lily-Rose headed down a similar career path as herself. She admitted, "I'd rather for her to have time to be a kid. I mean, she already has such a spotlight on her just because of her parents."
It sounded like Paradis's ex, Johnny Depp, was in agreement with her. The actor confessed to The Daily Mail that "Her becoming an actress was never [my] dream or [sic] desire for her." But either way, Johnny And Paradis have supported their daughter along her journey to fame!
Growing Up With Famous Parents
Lily-Rose was born to movie star Johnny Depp and French model Vanessa Paradis. So while other kids were running around playgrounds, she was running around movie sets and runway shows. But despite that, her parents made sure she wasn't blasted in the eye of the public.
"My parents did a great job of giving me and my brother the most private upbringing we could have. So to value your private life and to keep it for yourself has always been important to me," she said. "My parents were very calm about the photographers, the fans, and all that." Now we know why she is so mysterious…
Marilyn Manson is Her Godfather
In the world of Hollywood, nearly everyone is somehow connected. It's been arguably well known that random celebrities will end up being another star's godparents. So things were obviously no different with Lily-Rose, whose godfather was named Marilyn Manson.
Yes, pretty surprising, we know. But turns out the rock singer and Johnny Depp are close pals and have been for years. They are such good friends that the two also have matching tattoos together. And that bond was passed down to Depp's kids, especially since Manson himself doesn't have any kids.
Famous Friends
Her parents weren't the only famous people that Lily-Rose grew up with. The model/actress also had many celebrity friends as a youngster and up until today. In fact, in her first movie, Tusk, she got to work with one of her pals, Harley Quin. "I've been best friends with [Quinn] since I was five," she told Vogue UK.
"It was a really incredible first movie to have," she said. "It was a unique circumstance to be able to start your career with your best friend and your family and so many actors that you have looked up to for so long." But of course, the child star also has some none famous friends too.
High School Dropout
The A-list star gained traction when she was still a teenager in a high school in Los Angeles. But as her career took off, from modeling with Chanel to starring in movies, Lily-Rose had to make a big life decision. Was she gonna finish her classes and graduate or pursue her career and drop out?
It's no secret that some of the most successful individuals of our time, like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, left school early to put all their time and effort into their job. And as it turns out, sometimes it's what's best for the person. So things were no different for Lily-Rose, who soon chose to say goodbye to high school.
Goodbye High School, Hello Hollywood
"I realised after working on La Danseuse and Planetarium in Paris that it was impossible for me to pursue acting... and still attend classes and be able to do my homework," she confessed. "If I'm serious about my decision to become an actress, I don't want to waste my time writing school papers and sitting in a classroom."
"[My parents] both left school when they were 15, so they can't really say anything," she explained to Vogue UK in 2016. "I've never thought of university as my goal. I've always just wanted to work and be independent. I didn't have any incentive to keep doing all that work."
More Fame, More Followers
As Lily-Rose was seen in the media more and more, people started to get more intrigued by her. Not just because of her famous parents or because of her work, but because her ability to keep so many things in her life private made fans want to know more.
So, of course, in today's age of social media, the actress/model gained many followers over the years, with the hope of getting a glimpse into her life of glitz and glam. Today, at 23 years old, she has over 6.2 million followers on Instagram… even though we can consider ourselves lucky if she posts.
She Hates Social Media
Her inactiveness on Instagram seems to be because Lily-Rose loves privacy. She explained, "I first started using social media when I was 12 or something - not publicly; I had private accounts. But even since then, people have been pretending to be me and my brother."
To avoid scammers, the Voyagers star's biography on the social media app warns fans that "This is my only form of social media." We can totally understand that growing up with famous parents would probably make her not wanna be in the public eye as much.
Her Biggest Fear
Her anxiety regarding social media has yet to go away. The 23-year-old actress/model explained that her life would be very different without the pressure that her iPhone puts on her. "I would be much less stressed out without social media. I am constantly afraid of getting hacked. It's like being afraid of stepping on glass."
Yet her fear may not be enough to get Lily-Rose to delete her apps as she is still quite active on them. She said, "I'm very specific about what I put out on social media about myself. But that's also why I like social media - because it feels like the only thing that I have to control my own image."
Celebrity Boyfriends
In June 2018, while filming The King, Lily-Rose met fellow French American actor Timothée Chalamet. It didn't take long before the two stars were spotted getting cozy, and before they knew it, the relationship rumors began. But it wasn't until 2019 that their couple's debut was made at Venice Film Festival.
For a while, fans couldn't get enough of this relationship. And the fact that so much of it was kept a secret (other than the paparazzi snaps of them kissing on boats) kept people even more intrigued. But sadly, in April 2020, it was reported the two had split up.
Considers Herself Sexually Fluid
In 2015, it was announced on Instagram by iO Tillett Wright that Lily-Rose had joined the Self Evident Project. The project describes itself as "a photographic document of 10,000 people in the USA that identify as ANYTHING OTHER than 100% straight." Wright explained that Lily-Rose "falls somewhere on the vast spectrum."
Instantly rumors started that she was coming out. But Lily-Rose quickly clarified, "That was really misconstrued, that whole thing. A lot of people took it as me coming out, but that's not what I was trying to do," she clarified about the post. "I was literally doing it just to say that you don't have to label your sexuality."
Living Life Without Labels
"So many kids these days are not labeling their sexuality, and I think that's so cool," Lily-Rose explained why she joined the Self Evident Project. To her, sexuality is fluid. "Just like food, you could think peanut butter is your favorite food for 5,000 years and then be like, 'I actually like burgers better,' you know?"
"I was just trying to say that it's unnecessary; you don't need to label yourself. I guess it came off the wrong way because then everyone labeled me as gay. That's not what I was trying to say. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course!" she revealed during an interview with Nylon.
What Next?
It doesn't look like Lily-Rose is slowing down anytime soon. In fact, based on the numerous films and projects she has coming out, it seems like she is just getting started. But can we really be surprised? After all, her dad is one of Hollywood's biggest names.
She and The Weeknd, also known as Abel, are working together on the HBO series, The Idol, created by Euphoria's Sam Levinson. She is also set to appear in The Governesses, the second film from The Last Black Man in San Francisco. Clearly, Lily-Rose is full of talent, and we cannot wait to see what comes next...