Johnny Depp is breaking his silence about the end of his 14-year relationship with Vanessa Paradis in the July 4 issue of Rolling Stone. The never-wed couple (parents to Lily-Rose, 14, and Jack, 11) announced their breakup in June 2012, but the notoriously tight-lipped Lone Ranger actor had kept quiet about their split -- until now.

"The last couple years have been a bit bumpy," Depp tells the magazine. "At times, certainly unpleasant, but that's the nature of breakups, I guess, especially when there are kiddies involved."Compared to his breakups with previous girlfriends Kate Moss and Winona Ryder, Depp says he handled his split with Paradis with more maturity. "In terms of the breakup, I definitely wasn't going to rely on the drink to ease things or cushion the blow or cushion the situation," says the star, known for trashing hotel rooms in the early '90s. "'Cause that could have been fatal. I felt it was my duty to be real clear throughout that. I had something pretty serious to focus on, really, which was making sure that my kids were gonna be cool."
Depp tells Rolling Stone that his children are doing fine in the wake of his breakup with the French model and actress, 40. "They've been incredibly understanding, incredibly strong throughout the whole ordeal. And it's hard on every side. You know, Vanessa's side, certainly not easy. My side, not easy. The kids are the most complicated," he explains. "The thing is, kiddies come first. You can't shield them, because then you'd be lying. So you can at least be honest with your kids, and you say the absolute truth to your child -- that was very important to not p*ssyfoot around."Depp tells Rolling Stone that his children are doing fine in the wake of his breakup with the French model and actress, 40. "They've been incredibly understanding, incredibly strong throughout the whole ordeal. And it's hard on every side. You know, Vanessa's side, certainly not easy. My side, not easy. The kids are the most complicated," he explains. "The thing is, kiddies come first. You can't shield them, because then you'd be lying. So you can at least be honest with your kids, and you say the absolute truth to your child -- that was very important to not p*ssyfoot around."