Dakota Johnson opens up about ‘cancelled’ former co-stars: ‘I feel sad for the loss of great artists’

‘I feel sad for the loss of great artists’

Dakota Johnson has opened up about her “cancelled” former co-stars in a new interview.

The actor told The Hollywood Reporter she had mixed feelings when it comes to cancel culture and her former co-stars Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer and Shia LaBeouf.

All three men have been accused of abuse – something they all deny – but Johnson says she think it’s “sad” the actors have been subsequently cancelled while also expressing her sympathy for “anyone who was harmed or hurt.”

“I never experienced that first hand from any of those people,” Johnson told the publication.

“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.”

Dakota Johnson and Emily Blunt attend the 2015 Guggenheim International Gala Dinner on 5 November 2015 in New York City (Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Christian Dior)

Johnson also revealed how actor Emily Blunt encouraged her to accept the lead role in the Fifty Shades film series.

The actor told The Hollywood Reporter that prior to accepting the part of Anastasia Steele, she considered how starring in the erotic romantic drama series would impact the rest of her career.

“I couldn’t talk about it to anybody. Nobody in my family knew,” she told the publication.

“I was cast [and] I remember I spoke to Emily Blunt, and I was like, ‘Should I do this trilogy? Because I want to have a really special career, and I want to make a certain kind of film. And I know that this is going to change things.’ She was like, ‘F****** do it if it feels right. Just do it. Always do what you want to do.’ “

Johnson ended up taking the role and portrayed Steele in all three instalments: the 2015 Fifty Shades of Grey, its 2017 sequel Fifty Shades Darker, and the 2018 Fifty Shades Freed.

She told The Hollywood Reporter that she hasn’t been “pigeonholed into anything” since the film series wrapped up, adding: “I guess I could have gone in a certain direction, but that’s just not what I was interested in.”

The Fifty Shades films are adapted from the series of novels of the same name by EL James, which were published between 2011 and 2012.