Dakota Johnson exposes “shady financiers” and emotional struggles in rare career confessions

Dakota Johnson offered a candid look at the highs and lows of her career during an “In Conversation With” session at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival, where she discussed her “love-hate relationship” with both acting and producing. Johnson reflected on the emotional demands of performing and the difficult realities she has faced while navigating the business side of Hollywood.

Johnson said her shift into producing has forced her to confront what she described as the “shady” side of the industry, noting that financing independent projects can be “heartbreaking.” She explained that while producing offers creative freedom, it also exposes her to aspects of filmmaking that are “ugly,” a stark contrast to the insulated nature of acting.

Her desire to create her own work, she shared, was influenced by watching her parents—Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson—collaborate closely with filmmakers. Through her company TeaTime Pictures, which she runs with Ro Donnelly, Johnson has backed several independent films with an emphasis on female-driven storytelling. TeaTime is also producing her feature directorial debut, A Tree Is Blue, starring Jessica Alba.

Johnson said that although she always wanted to act, she has sometimes accepted roles that weren’t the right fit. She added that experience has helped her better understand the types of projects that align with her instincts.

Reflecting on career highlights, Johnson pointed to The Peanut Butter Falcon as one of her most meaningful experiences, crediting co-star Zack Gottsagen for bringing “pure” energy to the project. She also spoke highly of her collaborations with Luca Guadagnino on A Bigger Splash and Suspiria, calling him a director who made her feel “deeply seen.”

The actress recalled feeling intimidated when joining the cast of A Bigger Splash as a young performer, but said Tilda Swinton reassured her that she belonged. She also described the intense physical preparation required for Suspiria, in which she performed nearly all of her own dance sequences.

Johnson praised Maggie Gyllenhaal, who directed her in The Lost Daughter, describing her as “a force” with a uniquely intuitive directing style that pushed her to explore new emotional territory.

She ended the discussion by expressing admiration for the emerging Saudi film scene and the Red Sea festival’s commitment to supporting female filmmakers across multiple regions. Johnson said the experience renewed her optimism about the future of cinema, contrasting the atmosphere she’s felt in the United States with the inspiration she found at the festival.