Meet Johnny Depp's forgotten first wife who had a massive part in launching his Hollywood career

As one of Hollywood's most recognizable faces, Johnny Depp boasts a stellar career spanning decades. The Oscar-nominated actor, currently in the midst of a career comeback following his high-profile legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard, boasts an unforgettable body of work. 

Over the years, Johnny has brought an array of legendary characters to life: from Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and the eccentric Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, to the titular vengeful barber in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and the sensitive outcast in Tim Burton's 1990 classic Edward Scissorhands.

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Johnny has been a regular fixture on the big screen since landing his breakout role in Wes Craven's 1984 slasher film, A Nightmare on Elm Street. But did you know that he has his first wife to thank for his early success? Keep reading to find out more about Johnny's first marriage to Lori Anne Allison.

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Johnny Depp's first wife, Lori

Johnny's first wife was Lori Anne Allison. Lori, who was the sister of the bassist in Johnny's band, The Kids, was 26 when she married 20-year-old Johnny in South Florida in 1983.

While Lori carved out a career as a make-up artist, Johnny worked in telemarketing while looking for acting work in Los Angeles. 

The couple divorced after just over two years together in 1986.

Speaking about his first marriage in a 1997 interview with Boulevard Magazine, Johnny said: "I was married when I was 20 (to Lori Allison). It was a strong bond with someone but I can’t necessarily say I was in love. That’s something that comes around once, maybe twice, if you are lucky. And I don’t know that I experienced that before I turned 30."

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Meanwhile, Lori offered kind words about her ex-husband's various talents in a 2015 interview with the Miami Herald. "Well, we all know he's a talented actor and can pull off the pirate thing like nobody's business, but he's also an extremely talented guitar player," she said.

How Lori helped launch Johnny's acting career

The Pirates of the Caribbean star has Lori to thank for launching his glittering Hollywood career, as it was she who introduced him to fellow young actor, Nicolas Cage. The pair became friendly, and Nicolas set him up with an agent, who landed him a role in the horror film, A Nightmare On Elm Street.

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Reflecting on his big break, Johnny told Playboy: "I got the job. I was stupefied. They paid me all that money for a week. It was luck, an accident. I did it purely to pay the rent. I was literally filling out job applications at the same time, any kind of job."

"Nic Cage said, 'You should try being an actor. Maybe you are one and don’t know it.' I began acting, and I thought, well, this is an interesting road; maybe I should keep traveling on it," he continued. "I didn't know what the hell I was doing, so I started to read everything I could about acting—Stanislavsky, Uta Hagen, Michael Chekhov. I started soaking it up."

Where is Lori Anne Allison now? 

As a professional make-up artist, Lori has worked on films featuring stars like Adam Ant and Jessica Alba, and according to The Mirror, she owns a lip gloss line called Serendeppity.

Although she largely keeps out of the spotlight, Lori sometimes shares posts on her brand's Facebook page, including snaps of her work as well as throwback photos.