The sequel to the sensational erotic blockbuster "50 Shades of Grey" ─ "50 Shades Darker" was released in Russian rental. We decided to go through Johnson's latest interviews and find out who this shy brunette is, how she feels about her popularity and the role that brought her fame, and what will happen if she is deprived of whips and bandages.
At the premiere of "50 Shades Darker" (Los Angeles, February 2, 2017)Dakota Johnson is not yet 30. She is the daughter of famous actors Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson and made her film debut at the age of 10. Then young Dakota starred in the film of her stepfather Antonio Banderas "Woman without rules". After 15 years and a little over ten episodic roles, she gets the right to become a woman who will change the sex life of millions. Unexpected, right?
“When I read the book, I really liked Anastacia - she is honest, sincere, loving. I was happy to play her. Since I was going to shoot nude, I wanted to look not just good, but very good! Therefore, I worked out a lot, ate healthy food and underwent so many hair removals that no woman dreamed of, ”Johnson recalls about her participation in the film in an interview with American Glamour.
Of course, the main merit in the struggle for sexual emancipation and a sharp jump in sales of household ropes belongs to the notorious author of the sex bestseller E.L. James (pseudonym of English writer Erica Leonard Mitchell). But still, it was Dakota who became the girl who gave her face and body to the previously faceless heroine. Now everyone imagines what that Anesteisha looks like. It was the film adaptation of "50 Shades" that made the characters so real and desirable. Even if you have not read the book, you know for sure that the main character of the novel is the owner of an angelic appearance, an immaculate look and a shy smile. Whose merit is this? That's right, Dakota.
“Overall, the film could have been a little more promiscuous. True, we tried to make “Shades” as sexy as possible, but we also had the task of also entering the rental with an R rating (viewing by persons under the age of 16 is allowed, but only “accompanied” by adults ─ approx. ed.), so some scenes had to be handled extremely delicately,” says the legendary Ann W. Coates, 90-year-old Oscar winner and outstanding editor, who was entrusted with working on the final version of 50 Shades of Grey. It is she who is responsible for the appearance in the frame of the naked parts of the body of Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson.
Interestingly, in the end, Dakota's participation in the film brought her mostly problems: her then boyfriend, musician of the Drowners rock band Matthew Heath, could not stand the test of his girlfriend's fame and left the girl without waiting for the premiere. Dakota herself admitted in an interview with The Telegraph: “There is something terrible about the fact that now absolutely everyone will know who I am. Naturally, I'm worried about this role. All the time. Even after the release of the film on the screens, I periodically ask myself: “What the hell have I done?”. But most of the time, I'm comfortable." Probably, in accepting the role and plot of the film, the romantic attitude of the actress to the whole story played a large part. In her opinion, "50 Shades of Grey" is an amazing tale of love. Only a true romantic could see the tenderness in the middle of the "red room of pain" and the love between the lines of the sexual boundaries contract.
In confirmation - the confession of Johnson, who once told reporters that she was very afraid to tell her parents that she had received the role. Well, tell me, what kind of person will be embarrassed to tell his loved ones that he will star in a film that, if it does not become a cult, will definitely tear this world of cinema to shreds, collecting record amounts at the box office? “Yes, sex. Yes, a few whips and vicious words. Let the chest and buttocks be seen in close-up, but your parents didn’t do that in the frame! – with confidence it is possible to answer Johnson. But no, the girl didn’t care that the role she received would glorify her like no other. The opinion of the family is more important. Isn't this a sign of humanity, which is so often denied in Hollywood?
Now it becomes clear why Dakota forbade her relatives to watch the film - there is nothing to see too much sex in her performance. Well, her right, but something tells us that the parents still violated the taboo. After all, their daughter became the face of a film that changed the lives of at least half of the planet. Wouldn't you?
As for popularity, Dakota speaks very modestly about it and emphasizes that the real star of the film is Jamie Dornan. Here she, of course, is disingenuous. Although the role of Christian Gray has become truly fateful for the 33-year-old Briton, he cannot compete with the heroine of Dakota Johnson. Or rather, both characters and their performers are on the same level of popularity. To imagine one without the other is a disastrous business. Whom would Gray whip with his whips, if not for the heroine Johnson?
However, such modesty is quite understandable. Dakota grew up in an acting family, so she absorbed such concepts as fame and fame with her mother's milk. Dozens of paparazzi with cameras at the ready can scare you, and when your parents are sex symbols of the 1980s, you begin to relate to all this, if not easier, then certainly without “star dust”.
Direct speech: Dakota Johnson about herself and others
About a career. Why isn't my mom filmed anymore? She is a wonderful actress! Why isn't my grandmother filmed anymore? She is gorgeous (American actress Tippi Hedren, best known for her roles in Hitchcock's thrillers The Birds and Marnie - ed.). This industry is bloody cruel. No matter how cool you are, if you are an actress, you will always have a feeling of uselessness. This is absurd! Whenever I am not busy in projects, the thought does not leave me that it is not a fact that I will act again. And every year this feeling will grow more and more...
About 50 Shades of Grey. I'm proud of the film and don't want to distance myself from it - it's part of my job. The more I work, the more roles I get, and the more facets in me you can see.
About appearance. In everyday life, I don't always look great. It doesn't happen that you are always great, so most of all I love honest films that show reality as it is. Including my appearance.
About family. I always understood that my family was popular, but this never gave me the right to think that because of this I was allowed everything in the world.
About filming a sequel. Until work on the second part of "Shades" began, I had time to relax and ... say goodbye to friends, relatives, free time and dates. I knew that when work began, there would not be time for all this for sure ... Of course, it was still difficult to shoot explicit scenes, because there is no place for an intimate atmosphere on the set ─ we are always in sight.
Went on a tour of the evening shows, answering tricky questions from Jimmy Kimmel and James Corden.
Kimmel asked Jamie what kind of relationship he has with the actress after all the explicit scenes in which the partners had a chance to film.
“This will sound inappropriate, but we are almost like brother and sister. Because I'm married, and she ... changed quite a lot of guys while we were filming. Everyone has their own life, and we just show love and respect for each other. It seems to me that we already know each other very well, even to some extent in an intimate sense..
When asked about what Jamie covered his genitals during explicit scenes, the actor was embarrassed:
“Well, I put on such a tiny bag. Well, that is, this expression is, in fact, he is not so tiny. Yes, a normal big bag. On the set of the first film, I was given a whole range of these bags to choose from, so I took one, turned it inside out, and there was such a strange inscription: "Prisoner number 3".
Jamie confirmed that 50 Shades Freed was filmed back-to-back and filming ended about 2 years ago.
“I saw the last film. They make us watch… oh, I mean, anyway, we had to brush up on the movie before the premiere anyway, since shooting ended a long time ago. So I went to the Universal studios in London, where they have something like their own cinema. But they don't let you watch this movie alone, in case you want to copy it to your phone... Nonsense, of course. As if I would do it... So I watched it with a security guard. With such a big guy. Just the two of us. But before that I drank beer and periodically went to the toilet, so I spent part of the film there. But all those sex scenes… towards the end, I was already burning with shame. And when the movie ended, the guard told me, “Cool, dude, high five!”.
In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Jamie admitted that his wife has not watched a single movie about Anastasia and Christian.
“I don’t want to pay her tickets for these films”- joked the actor.
In an interview with James Corden, Jamie spoke about, who at the beginning of his career was still an unknown actor by his roommate.
“Eddie was desperate then. We both were. There wasn't much work to do, we didn't really have to choose, we went to the same auditions, we both had the same agent. And I remember… it seems to have been in 2008, on the second day after we moved in together, a courier from our agency arrived with a huge pile of scripts, there were about 25 of them. And Eddie and I immediately began to fuss about who this was all intended for. It was all meant for me, and Eddie took it to heart. He called the agent to find out why "Jamie just got a hefty stack of scripts." An hour later, the courier arrived with exactly the same size stack of the same scripts for him..
The main characters - modest Anastasia Steele and billionaire seducer Christian Gray - finally decide to take their relationship to a new level by playing a wedding. But, as the creators promise, the feelings of the beloved will have to pass another test of strength: uninvited guests from the past will burst into the life of the newlyweds.
Recall that the novel "Fifty Shades of Grey" became an international sensation due to its scandalous content and erotic background. Film adaptations of the spirit of the novels E.L. James convey quite accurately: the paintings are replete with bed scenes. About how hard such intimate shootings are given to the leading actors Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, the actors talk in numerous interviews.
But for the promotion of the third film in the series, Jamie and Dakota obviously prepared something special for the journalists. For example, while Johnson boasts that she adopted her character's passion for some BDSM techniques, Dornan, on the contrary, recommends that viewers not repeat some scenes from Fifty Shades Freed.
Jamie Dornan in Fifty Shades Freed
In a new interview, Jamie addressed a rumor that the studio allegedly offered him a million dollars if he agreed to shoot completely naked. “No, the agreement was - 30 million for one of the intimate parts of the body,” Dornan joked. “Actually, no, I wasn’t offered a million dollar nude pictorial.”
“I don’t even know if I would agree to such conditions. My butt flashes in the frame quite often. But that doesn't really bother me. The audience will also see Dakota's chest - I would also show mine if I had it. I just thought that we don't need to show everything if it's not important for the story. We still don’t shoot porn, although many people think so, ”Jamie Dornan told reporters.
Frame from the movie "Fifty Shades Freed"
Frame from the movie "Fifty Shades Freed"
Trailer for Fifty Shades Freed
- Jamie, looking back, how do you evaluate your long “journey” of almost four years?
Indeed, the film "Fifty Shades of Grey" was released in 2015, and it was filmed in 2014. During this time, I gained invaluable experience and, of course, grew as an actor. And, of course, it's nice to be involved in what many people like.
- Fifty Shades of Grey, directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson. What do you think director James Foley brought to the picture that was new compared to the first film?
It certainly wasn't easy for James to jump on a train that had already left the station. Nevertheless, he succeeded: he respected what his predecessor did, and at the same time made his own movie. In a situation where you pick up the work of another person, you have to be extremely delicate, and James handled it perfectly.
- In the first two films, the relationship between the main characters - Christian Gray and Anastasia Steele - was very difficult. How do they develop in the new film?
It can be said that they are entering a more positive direction. Since our characters with Dakota Johnson are now married, they are more and more like an ordinary married couple. But this does not mean that their life becomes more boring. As you might guess, the love of the heroes is once again being tested.
Firstly, marriage itself is no small test for lovers - I think people who are married understand what I'm talking about. And secondly, the feelings of the characters are repeatedly tested for strength thanks to the author of the script. (Laughs) For example, when Anastacia's former boss Jack Hyde enters the scene, the romantic plot clearly turns into a thriller.
- That is, the viewer is waiting for a lot of action?
Exactly. Although the shooting of the second and third films was carried out in parallel, working on the film "Fifty Shades Freed" was more interesting for me. In it, the action develops more rapidly, there are scenes of car races, fights ... It cannot be said that I had so many fights and chases, but I threw my fellow actors around me with pleasure and did various tricks.
- In the film "Fifty Shades of Grey" Christian tried to control Anastacia in everything, in the film "Fifty Shades Darker" she already dictates her conditions to him. Who owns the situation in the third scene?
It can be said that the heroes converged in the middle and are balancing, trying to reach a compromise that family life requires from lovers. Roughly speaking, they are trying to work in one team, and not fight for dominance.
- If there was no special chemistry between Dakota and me, we would not be able to play those special relationships that connect our heroes. A scene from the movie Fifty Shades Freed. Photo courtesy of UPI Russia
- Is your character different from the Christian we saw in the first two films?
I would say that he became more understanding, more human, or something ... Compared to the first picture, where Christian's thoughts and actions were difficult to understand, now we have an open book before us.
For any actor, such a role is a kind of challenge. The difficulty was that, on the one hand, it was necessary to play a sort of detached and cold type, accustomed to controlling everything around, and on the other hand, a charming guy who is liked by others.
- And what can you say about the heroine - Anastasia has changed a lot since the time of the movie "Fifty Shades of Grey"?
She has finally matured, found her voice and turned into a strong, independent woman who makes her own decisions. It becomes clear that Anastasia really loves Christian. In a word, she is now not the unrequited sheep that she used to be, and Christian accepts this, because he also truly loves.
- What other interesting characters appear in the film "Fifty Shades Freed"?
One of the main ones is Jack Hyde. The audience met him in the film Fifty Shades Darker, but in the new film he gives a real shake-up to the main characters, becomes a source of drama and action. Eric Johnson is very good in this role, and he is also taller than me, which can not but annoy. (Laughs.)
Another character is Gia Matteo (played by Ariel Kebbel), a designer who works on the interior of Christian's new house. She openly flirts with my hero, which causes outbreaks of jealousy in Anastacia. But Christian reacts calmly to this situation - he is really happy with Anastasia.
- I heard that you became very good friends with the performer of the role of Anastacia. This is true?
We adore each other. If there wasn’t a special chemistry between Dakota and me, we wouldn’t be able to play those special relationships that connect our heroes. We have come all this way together, and now that the shooting has come to an end, we remain great friends. I am sure that we will continue to support each other. After all, this work greatly influenced not only our career, but also ourselves. The thread that binds us cannot be broken so easily. It's forever.
With wife and daughter Dulce (London, 2015). Photo: Legion Media
- Did such a warm relationship help you during the filming of erotic scenes?
And how! The passion that literally burned Christian and Anastacia in the first two films does not subside. On the contrary, it becomes even stronger. It seems that these guys are insatiable, they can not live a day without sex.
Erotic scenes are very difficult for actors - acting in them, you feel very vulnerable. Here you need absolute trust in your partner. And if in the movie "Fifty Shades of Grey" Dakota and I were just getting to know each other, our relationship was only gaining momentum, but then we already felt each other well. Even sometimes managed to laugh, which greatly facilitated the work.
In general, there were many moments on the site that caused laughter. I remember we couldn't stop laughing during the filming of the wedding scene. We suddenly realized that the guy who was in the elevator with us in the first movie was now sitting in the front row at the wedding ceremony. For some reason we thought it was very funny. Dakota and I often made each other laugh.
And that's great: it's hard to work when everything around is too serious. Life is short and you have to enjoy it. Of course, work should be approached with all responsibility, but it would be nice to enjoy it. We are actors, and our main task is to entertain people. And how do you do it if you don't treat yourself with humor? In principle, this applies to any profession. My father, for example, is a surgeon, but he is one of the funniest people I have ever met.
Was there anything on the set that stood out in particular?
First of all, as I said, we shot two films at the same time. In my opinion, it made life much easier for the entire film crew. You know that for six months you need to drop everything and concentrate entirely on work. This helps to save not only time and money, but also energy.
Another bonus is a trip to France, where the heroes go on their honeymoon trip. The shooting schedule was not very tight, so we had enough free time. Dakota and I and other actors used it to wander around Paris and Nice, swim in the sea and even go water skiing. Those were great days.
Jamie Dornan
Family: wife - Amelia Warner, actress; daughters - Dalsie (4 years old) and Elva (2 years old)
Career: model, musician, actor. He worked as a model for famous brands, played in the British band Sons of Jim. How the actor made his film debut in Sofia Coppola's film
"Marie Antoinette" (2006). He starred in the series Once Upon a Time, The Fall, the films Anthropoid, etc. He became famous for the role of rich Christian Gray in the films Fifty Shades of Gray and Fifty Shades Darker
On the occasion of Valentine's Day, the creators of the Fifty Shades of Gray franchise have prepared a hot sequel for loyal fans. The scriptwriters of the "dark" sequel promised that there would not be as many erotic scenes as in the previous part, but there is more than enough psychologism and intensity of passions.
However, it is not surprising, since the first film left the audience with their mouths wide open and intrigue in their eyes. It is still unknown how Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey's relationship will develop. So much controversy and ulterior motives that fans of the franchise can only guess about.
As for the personal life of the actors who played the main roles in the film Fifty Shades Darker, the question still remains open. Dakota Jones shared with reporters a few days ago how it is sometimes difficult for her to put up with her current role. According to the plot, the events around the key characters unfold around the world of eroticism and forbidden pleasure, so it is simply impossible to do without sex scenes.
Men do not want to see Anastasia Steele in Dakota Johnson
Since this film was the debut for the Hollywood actress, it is not surprising that such images will be attributed to her. According to the celebrity, she would not want to end her career on such a note or move on to similar roles. The girl is tired of moments of a sexual nature, as well as constant questions on such topics. It's not that Dakota Johnson doesn't like to shoot such scenes, but she is annoyed by their post-effects. The socialite said that she could embody herself in other roles, since her possibilities and desire are not limited by anything.
Due to her non-standard image, Dakota Johnson has absolutely no relationship with members of the opposite sex. The famous actress said that men are afraid of Anastasia Steele. Or the celebrity is faced with excessive adoration and worship. She meets the first much more often than she would like.
As for her relationship with Jamie Dornan, they are connected by nothing more than a friendly bond. Young people understand each other well, so there are no prohibitions regarding creativity between them. The creative union of site partners is built on honesty and trust.
In relations with her famous parents, Dakota Johnson also has problems. According to the Hollywood actress, Melanie Griffith and Joe Johnson, despite their familiarity with the world of cinema, it is difficult to watch their daughter's first scandalous films. There is still some awkwardness between the relatives and the girl. Friends of Dakota Johnson are more relaxed about the erotic role of a celebrity, but not in the way they would like.
Meanwhile, the Hollywood actress finds positive aspects of her debut role. The film "Fifty Shades of Grey" gave the girl the opportunity to find herself in the world that she had dreamed of for so long. In addition, she likes even the most controversial aspects of the profession, so she is ready to develop and move on.
