Dakota Johnson has a history of starring in romantic movies (you may have heard of a little movie called Fifty Shades of Grey). Her latest romantic film, however, will feature a first for the actress: a queer relationship. How did Dakota Johnson prepare for the role? By making out with tons of women, of course.
In an interview for the Sundance Film Festival via Entertainment Weekly, Dakota Johnson revealed her faux preparation process for her new movie Am I Ok? Her character begins to explore her sexuality later in life, and Dakota Johnson decided to practice the only way she knew how. She joked:
I went around and made out with a lot of women during COVID, just before we started filming to practice.
Practice makes perfect, after all. Dakota Johnson may not have actually gotten her reps in, but she did try to hang out with her co-star Sonoya Mizuno before the filming process for Am I OK? began. The pandemic didn’t allow the pair to become super close pre-production, but that didn’t stop Dakota Johnson from showing off her culinary skills. She said:
Sonoya and I actually didn't get to spend any time together before we started filming because she had to quarantine. I did make her dinner one night, made her a nice grilled tuna steak...but I think we kind of bonded over the intensity of making a movie during COVID and then being constantly yelled at to stand further apart.
While COVID kept Dakota Johnson from developing her relationship with her co-star, that lack of connection may lend itself to the explorative nature of Am I Ok? The coming-out story, directed by lauded comedian Tig Notaro and her actress wife Stephanie Allynne, follows 32-year-old masseuse Lucy (Dakota Johnson), who begins to unpack her feelings for her best friend Jane (Sonoya Mizuno) after she meets a new stylist at her salon. Dakota Johnson has not put a public label on her sexuality, but she did express an interest in navigating the nuances of self-actualization. She explained:
I think I just really liked the idea of a woman in her 30's not having everything figured out already. I think I prefer the world in which people are allowed to continue to grow and figure themselves out for their entire lives.
Many of Dakota Johnson’s past films have featured romantic journeys, but Am I Ok? seems to be diving deeper than a surface-level love affair. If Dakota Johnson’s commentary is any indication, the movie will feature both a self-exploration and a queer love story for modern viewers. The only downside seems to be that Dakota Johnson didn’t actually get to make out with a lot of women.
Am I Ok? premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24. While we wait for a nationwide theatrical release date, there are plenty of upcoming movies to keep us occupied.
