Dakota Johnson slams Hollywood’s formulaic approach to filmmaking while questioning traditional relationship norms amid rumors of her split from Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
At a Glance
- Johnson calls Hollywood a “mess” due to its reliance on remakes and lack of creative risk-taking
- She criticizes decision-making by committees who “don’t even really watch movies or know anything about them”
- Johnson argues audiences want fresh content instead of predictable franchise extensions
- The actress is promoting her new romantic comedy “Materialists,” releasing June 13, 2025
- Amid reported split from Chris Martin, Johnson questions societal norms about relationships and divorce
Hollywood’s Creative Crisis
Dakota Johnson, daughter of actors Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, has launched a scathing critique of the current state of Hollywood filmmaking. The actress didn’t mince words when describing the industry as “a mess” during recent interviews promoting her upcoming romantic comedy. Johnson pointed to the industry’s excessive dependence on remakes, reboots, and franchise extensions as evidence of a widespread creative drought. Her comments highlight a growing frustration among performers and audiences alike with the industry’s risk-averse approach to content development.
Johnson specifically targeted the decision-making process in major studios, laying blame on executives who lack genuine passion for cinema. “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 … that tends to be what’s occurring a lot,” Johnson stated in a candid assessment of the current Hollywood landscape. Her criticism reflects concerns that business analytics and profit projections have superseded artistic vision in determining which projects receive the green light.
Audience Desires vs. Studio Formulas
Central to Johnson’s critique is her belief that audiences crave innovative storytelling rather than predictable content. The actress emphasized the disconnect between what studios produce and what viewers actually want to experience. “When something does well… studios want to keep that going so they remake the same things. But humans don’t want that. They want fresh. They want to feel new things, experience new things, see new things,” Johnson explained, highlighting the creative stagnation resulting from Hollywood’s preference for safe investments over artistic risk-taking.
Recent box office successes like “Everything Everywhere All At Once” and “Barbie” serve as evidence that well-executed original content can achieve both critical acclaim and commercial success. These films demonstrate that audiences respond enthusiastically to innovative storytelling when given the opportunity. Despite the commercial failure of Johnson’s “Madame Web,” the actress continues advocating for originality, with upcoming projects including a film alongside Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal that promises fresh narrative approaches.
Walking Her Talk: Johnson’s Career Choices
Johnson’s criticism comes as she promotes “Materialists,” a new romantic comedy directed by Celine Song, scheduled for release on June 13, 2025. The film features an ensemble cast including Zoe Winters, Marin Ireland, Dasha Nekrasova, and Louisa Jacobson. The story follows a matchmaker navigating her own romantic life, representing the kind of original storytelling Johnson champions. Her collaboration with Song, whose previous work “Past Lives” received significant acclaim, demonstrates Johnson’s commitment to supporting innovative filmmakers.
“I didn’t know I knew how to make a movie until I was doing it. And then I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to do this until I die’,” said Celine Song.
Despite experiencing disappointment with projects like “Madame Web,” Johnson continues pursuing roles in original productions rather than franchise entries. This career trajectory aligns with her public stance on creative integrity, showing consistency between her professional choices and her criticism of industry practices. By selecting projects based on their creative merits rather than commercial potential, Johnson positions herself as part of a movement pushing Hollywood toward greater artistic risk-taking.
Challenging Relationship Conventions
Beyond her professional critique, Johnson has recently questioned societal expectations surrounding relationships and marriage. Amid reports of her split from Coldplay frontman Chris Martin after eight years together, the actress has sparked conversation about conventional relationship norms. During an appearance on “Today,” Johnson humorously stated her dating deal-breaker as simply “not an a——,” suggesting a straightforward approach to relationships that contrasts with Hollywood’s often complicated romantic narratives.
“For a long time we’ve all been so quick to judge relationships or how they should happen, how they should exist in the world. When people should get married. Divorce is bad. All these things that actually, if you think about it, why is divorce bad?”, said Dakota Johnson.
Johnson’s questioning of relationship conventions parallels her critique of Hollywood’s creative stagnation—both reflect her willingness to challenge established norms. Multiple sources indicate that Johnson and Martin, who began dating in 2017, have ended their relationship. Martin was previously married to Gwyneth Paltrow, with whom he famously used the term “conscious uncoupling” to describe their separation, suggesting a pattern of non-traditional approaches to relationship transitions in his life as well.
