Dakota Johnson Opens Up About Her Most Regretted Role
Dakota Johnson shares candid memories of her difficult stint on The Office US, revealing why it stands out as her most regretted role, despite later career highs.
They say it’s not what happens to you, but how you handle it. Dakota Johnson’s had her fair share of ups and downs, especially after the much-maligned Madame Web, a Marvel flick that copped a hammering from critics and punters alike. The film was such a flop it swept the Razzies and threatened to put a dent in Johnson’s rising career, which had already weathered the storm of the last Fifty Shades instalments. That alone was no small feat.
Of course, Johnson’s not exactly your average battler, being the daughter of Don Johnson from Miami Vice and actor Melanie Griffiths. Still, a proper career nosedive would’ve rattled anyone, even if only for a few days. She’s spoken before about a role that left her feeling pretty low, specifically her brief appearance in the final season of The Office US back in 2013. She played a young accountant brought in by Dwight Schrute, and for a while, there was even talk of her leading a spin-off.
Behind the Scenes at The Office
Johnson was a massive fan of the Steve Carell-led comedy and was stoked to get the call from the show’s producers. But things didn’t quite go as she’d imagined. She told Seth Myers,
“That was honestly the worst time of my life. I loved that show [The Office] so much. And they were like, ‘Do you want to be in the series finale?’ I was like, ‘Of course,’ thinking that I’d show up for like half a day. I was there for two weeks, and I’m barely in the f***ing show.”
Despite the letdown, Johnson didn’t let it slow her down for long. Within a year, she’d landed the lead in Fifty Shades, picking up a few more Razzie nominations, and soon after, she was sharing the screen with Johnny Depp in Black Mass, a mob drama that hit cinemas in 2015.
Turning the Tide with New Roles
Things started to shift for Johnson when she took on the lead in the 2018 remake of Suspiria, a reimagining of Dario Argento’s 1977 horror classic. Directed by Luca Guadagnino, with a soundtrack from Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, the film saw Johnson’s performance earn plenty of praise from critics. That role opened the door to a string of interesting projects, including the 2019 comedy The Peanut Butter Falcon and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, The Lost Daughter.
Then came the infamous Madame Web in 2024. Johnson’s take on the fallout was typically dry:
“…you can’t do anything about it. Like, what am I going to do, fucking cry about Madame Web? No. I’m gonna laugh.”
Fair enough, really, especially with so many blokes online getting worked up over superheroes in a film.
Looking Ahead
Next up, Johnson’s set to appear in a thriller called Verity, alongside Anne Hathaway and Josh Hartnett. She’s also stepping behind the camera to direct her own film, A Tree is Blue, featuring Jessica Alba and Charli XCX. Despite the rough patches, she’s kept moving forward, taking on new challenges and not letting past regrets hold her back.