Celebrity Johnny Depp and Amber Heard: Inside Their Secretive Romance "She's a great match for him and his individuality," a source who knows Depp tells PEOPLE By Samantha Miller Samantha Miller As editorial director for entertainment, Samantha Miller oversees PEOPLE's coverage of the celebrity and entertainment world, from cover and feature interviews with top stars to the latest breaking news to the buzz on movies, TV shows, music, and more. She joined PEOPLE in 1995 as one of the very first writers for PEOPLE.com and has previously served as executive editor, senior editor for movies and technology columnist. Samantha is a graduate of Princeton University and author of E-Mail Etiquette; she lives in Brooklyn. People Editorial Guidelines Published on January 20, 2014 08:30 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty He’s a 50-year-old superstar who spent 14 years (mostly) happily unwed to his longtime love. She’s a 27-year-old actress on the rise whose last relationship was with a woman. Now Johnny Depp and Amber Heard – who only recently started stepping out together publicly – are engaged. What made Depp get so serious so fast? “She’s a great match for him and his individuality,” says a source who knows Depp. “She’s a free spirit.” Raised in Texas, Heard has proclaimed her love for shooting guns, driving fast cars (she tools around in a 1968 Mustang) and collecting books, a particular passion of Depp’s. After roles on the CW’s Hidden Palms and the movie Pineapple Express, Heard was cast as Depp’s love interest in 2011’s The Rum Diary – and their chemistry was undeniable. “You can’t help but adore his talent, his passion, his magnetic force that pulls you into all his brilliance,” she said at the time. Of course, at the time Depp was still coupled with French singer and actress Vanessa Paradis, 41, the mother of his children Lily Rose, 14, and Jack, 11. They split in 2012. And Heard was dating Tasya Van Ree, a photographer. Heard has said she’s bisexual: “In the past I’ve had successful relationships with men, and now I’m in this successful relationship with a woman. When it comes to love I am totally open,” she told Playboy in 2011. Johnny Depp Is ‘Lovestruck’ by Amber Heard, Friends Say By last year, Depp and Heard were an official item, with Heard accompanying Depp and his children on the international press tour for The Lone Ranger. Recently, according to sources close to the couple, Depp popped the question. Says one: “They couldn’t be happier.” • Reporting by JENNIFER GARCIA and LINDA MARX