Dakota Johnson Reflects on Career and Future Plans

Actress Dakota Johnson shared insights into her life and career during a recent interview with Vogue. At 36, Johnson expressed a desire to start a family, stating, “I really do. I do, but for whatever reason, that’s the plan of the universe. So I would love that. I hope that that happens for me. I’ve always felt, especially the last few years, that there is a soul that wants to come through. And I hope that I’m lucky enough to be able to do that.”

She acknowledged the challenge of being around friends and co-stars who have started families, noting, “things turned out differently than I thought,” yet she remains hopeful about the future. Johnson still believes that she will eventually have children, yearning for that experience.

Known for her roles in films like “The Social Network” and “21 Jump Street,” Johnson gained significant attention as Anastasia Steele in “Fifty Shades of Grey.” The role was a pivotal moment in her career. She continued to build her filmography with projects such as “Peanut Butter Falcon,” “Madame Web,” and “The Materialists.” Despite her success, she feels a need to adjust her life, saying, “I’ve worked back-to-back for so long that now I have this deep calling to shift my perspective a bit and maybe have a bit more of a real life. I’ve been gone for, like, 20 years. The people in my life are so used to me leaving for months at a time.”

Johnson aims to embrace life more authentically, declaring, “I want to unfold and unfold and really lovingly embrace this life.” Her next film, “Verity,” a psychological thriller based on Colleen Hoover’s novel, features co-stars Josh Hartnett and Anne Hathaway. In this film, she plays Lowen Ashleigh, a ghostwriter caught in unexpected circumstances.

Reflecting on her experience with “Verity,” Johnson mentioned director Michael Showalter’s unique approach, noting, “Michael Showalter, the director, would give me direction that was so extremely camp, and that’s not really me as an artist. But it was so fun, and our references and guidelines were all these erotic thrillers that people are like, Okay, this is ridiculous, but I’m enjoying myself.”

Coming from a family of acting royalty, Johnson’s career path seems natural. Her mother is Oscar-nominated actress Melanie Griffith, and her father, Don Johnson, is a star of “Miami Vice.” Her maternal grandmother, Tippi Hedren, is also a renowned actress.