Dakota Johnson Calls Out Hollywood's Creative Crisis: 'It's All Just A Bit Of A Mess Right Now'
Dakota Johnson criticises Hollywood's lack of originality, praises director Celine Song, promotes Materialists, and remains silent on her reported split with Chris Martin.
By ETV Bharat Entertainment Team
Published : June 13, 2025 at 8:39 PM IST
Hyderabad: Actor Dakota Johnson has opened up about her frustrations with the current state of Hollywood, calling it "a bit of a mess" due to the industry's increasing reliance on reboots and lack of original storytelling. In an interview on the popular talk show Hot Ones, hosted by Sean Evans, the Materialists star offered a critical take on the creative stagnation she believes is plaguing the entertainment industry.
Evans asked Johnson why she thinks Hollywood is so risk-averse, to which the actor responded, "I think it's hard when creative decisions are made by committee, and it's hard when creative decisions are made by people who don't even really watch movies or know anything about them, and that tends to be what's occurring a lot."
Johnson, known for her breakout role in the Fifty Shades Of Grey franchise, went on to explain that studios tend to double down on formulas that have previously succeeded at the box office.
"When something does well, studios want to keep that going so they remake the same things, but humans don't want that," she said. "They want fresh, they want to feel new things, experience new things, see new things, so I don't know, I guess it's all just a bit of a mess right now, isn't it?"
Beyond her professional reflections, Johnson has also made headlines recently for her reported breakup with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin after an eight-year relationship. While she declined to speak about the split during her appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers, she did share her excitement for her upcoming film Materialists.
Directed and written by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Celine Song (Past Lives), Materialists follows a New York City matchmaker (played by Johnson) who is caught between her ideal partner and a flawed ex. Johnson praised Song during her talk show appearance, saying she was "obsessed" with her after watching Past Lives, which earned nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards.
The film, produced by Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler of Killer Films alongside David Hinojosa of 2AM, is set to be released on June 13, 2025. A24 confirmed the premiere date on X (formerly Twitter), posting, "Save the date. Celine Song's MATERIALISTS 6.13.2025", alongside an image of a heart-shaped cake with the film's title.
Materialists boasts an ensemble cast that includes Zoe Winters, Marin Ireland, Dasha Nekrasova (Succession), and Louisa Jacobson. Principal photography began in New York on April 29, 2024, and wrapped in June.
Reflecting on her transition to filmmaking, Song said, "I didn't know I knew how to make a movie until I was doing it. And then once I was doing it, I was like, 'Oh my God, I'm going to do this until I die.'"
Johnson, who last appeared in Madame Web, is also set to appear alongside Avengers star Chris Evans and Gladiator II actor Pedro Pascal in an upcoming project.
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