The highly publicized defamation lawsuit brought by Johnny Depp against his former wife, Amber Heard, focused attention on just about every aspect of the idiosyncratic actor’s personal life.
One person who remained out of the fray during that dramatic courtroom clash between the warring exes was Depp’s other ex-wife.
She’s a sought-after makeup artist who has achieved professional distinction in her own right. Here’s everything we know about Lori Anne Allison.
Lori Anne Allison Married Depp When She Was 25—And He Was Only 20
Allison and Depp met through her brother, who was the bassist and singer in Depp’s band, The Kids.
The pair married young, especially Depp, who was just 20 when he exchanged vows with Allison. Their youth may explain why their marriage ended rather quickly. Wed in 1983, they parted in 1985.
Depp’s relationship with Allison had at least one big professional benefit for him, however. Allison’s pal, Nicolas Cage, got Depp together with an agent who helped him get his very first part in a movie, Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). That role was the springboard for his amazing career.
In May 2016, TMZ reported that Allison was allegedly skeptical of Heard’s claims of physical abuse by Depp and she supposedly said so to friends.
Although Allison’s comments defending Depp have not been confirmed, TMZ stated that in her opinion, Depp was not prone to violence and would not hurt someone. In fact, she believed Depp was a gentle and considerate person who loved animals and never was abusive to her or even raised his voice.
Allison Made A Name For Herself As A Makeup Artist In Hollywood
Allison proved to be a talented makeup artist who established her reputation in the film industry. She worked on films such as Sunset Heat (1992), Acting on Impulse (1993), and Cyber Bandits (1995). Allison also styled hair for Venus Rising (1995) and The Muse (2016).
Allison’s skills were put to the test in the late 1980s when she had to do makeup on Sting for an MTV Rockumentary. She said she was cautioned beforehand that he was extremely sunburned. Even with 30 years of professional experience, Allison shared that it was “…the one experience that probably made me the most nervous and it just stands out the most in my mind” (per Enstarz).
She headed to a local beauty supply store and stocked up on what she needed. Allison knew that green makeup hides skin redness, so she mixed some green in with the foundation she applied to Sting’s face.
Sting, not realizing that she was actually making him look better, bristled when he saw what she was doing. Allison said that he apprehensively remarked, “You’re not going to make me look green are you?”
Allison explained to him that she definitely wasn’t. She even gave him a mirror so he could watch the whole process by which she applied his makeup. “He looked fine once I was done and went off without a hitch,” she said.
Allison branched out and introduced her own line of lip glosses, Serendeppity, in 2015. She said the glosses were moisturizing, made of “animal-friendly” ingredients, and could double as blush for the cheeks.
The glosses all had names that were tributes to famous actresses. There was a clear one called Olivia in honor of what Allison considered the purity of actress Olivia Hussey, who starred in Romeo and Juliet (1968), a sultry red shade called Marilyn for Marilyn Monroe, and another named Sandy for Olivia Newton-John’s character in Grease (1978).
Allison posts examples of her makeup artistry on social media like Facebook and Instagram, along with some of her observations about makeup products.
Allison Is A Dog Lover
She posts pics of her pooch on Instagram. Allison seems to like canines so much that she published a coffee table book showing celebrities and their dogs, Gimme Shelter (2016).
It has snaps taken by her sister, photographer Suzanne Allison. The project took five years to complete and features well-known entertainment figures like Courteney Cox, Steven Tyler, and Demi Moore with their four-legged buddies. Johnny Depp wrote the foreword to the volume, part of whose proceeds went to animal organizations.
Lori Anne Allison and Johnny Depp became husband and wife when they were barely into their adult years. The marriage was brief, but they seem to have remained on good terms.
She has built a successful career as a makeup artist for films and celebrities and is apparently thriving in that role.