Dakota Johnson Hates The Phrase “Cancel Culture,” Feels Sad That Some Of Her Co-Stars Might Not Act Again
Dakota Johnson had a serious, in-depth chat with The Hollywood Reporter because she’s in a serious movie, The Lost Daughter, which means she’s on that awards season promo train, and – choo choo! – she gets more real than that time she called out Ellen DeGeneres’ ass for bailing on her birthday party. Dakota opened up about growing up famous (her parents are Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson), and how she wanted to be an actress forever and only ever saw herself as an actress, so it’s probably a good thing she ended up being successful at it (god bless you, St. Nepotism!). But she also got on the topic of “cancel culture,” something that several of her former co-stars have experienced the wrath of. Well, guess what, she’s not a fan of cancel culture, and she’s bummed right out that some of those former co-stars might disappear from Hollywood forever.
If you take a peek back into Dakota’s past filmography, you’ll be reminded that she acted with Johnny Depp in Black Mass, appeared in The Social Network with Armie Hammer, and most recently, Shia LaBeouf in The Peanut Butter Falcon. All have been accused of various levels of violence, assault, and misconduct.
After Amber Heard accused Johnny Depp of domestic abuse, Johnny saw several projects dry up, and Warner Bros. replaced him in the Fantastic Beasts series. Armie was also dropped from various projects. And Armie himself reportedly got cast in Call Me By Your Name after director Luca Guadagnino thought Shia LaBeouf was too messy to be connected to the film. There’s some real talent in there, according to Dakota, and she thinks it’s unfair that some actors – no names named, of course – might not ever work again, just because they were accused of, oh I don’t know, getting violent with their ex-girlfriend, or sending truly fucked up DMs to random women. Won’t somebody please think of the abusive actors who can’t get a call back from their agent?!?
“I never experienced that firsthand from any of those people,” she says. “I had an incredible time working with them; I feel sad for the loss of great artists. I feel sad for people needing help and perhaps not getting it in time. I feel sad for anyone who was harmed or hurt. It’s just really sad. I do believe that people can change. I want to believe in the power of a human being to change and evolve and get help and help other people.”
So while various human beings are harnessing their power not for rage-based evil, but productive change, the rest of us need to change too, so says Dakota. Basically, she thinks we’ve got to stop canceling people. They still deserve to be held accountable, of course. Call this Cancel Lite maybe? Cancel-ish? Whatever you call it, don’t call it Cancel Culture, she hates that.
“I think there’s definitely a major over-correction happening. But I do believe that there’s a way for the pendulum to find the middle. The way that studios have been run up until now, and still now, is behind. It is such an antiquated mindset of what movies should be made, who should be in them, how much people should get paid, what equality and diversity look like. Sometimes the old school needs to be moved out for the new school to come in. But, yeah, cancel culture is such a fucking downer. I hate that term.”
Seeing that a friend or former co-worker got canceled has surely got to bring on a roller coaster of emotions. And I think I understand what Dakota is trying to say. Essentially, that actors are not judged by the absolute trash pit of their personal reputations, but by the quality of their acting. “Well I guess that still counts out Johnny Depp!” laughed Brian Cox.
Pic: The Hollywood Reporter