"I'm open to anything. Certain things [just have] to align" - Dakota Johnson reportedly wants to play a 'psychopath'

Dakota Johnson is keen on expanding her acting portfolio as she says she is now looking to play a psychopath.

The actress, best known for her role in Fifty Shades of Grey and Materialists, is set to work on Michael Angelo Covino's Splitsville. During a recent press roundtable at the 59th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) in the Czech Republic, the Madame Web actress revealed that she is keen on playing a "psychopath" in the future:

“There are roles that I dream of playing,” Johnson shared. “I would love to play a psychopath, would love to do an action film.”

She added:

"I'm open to anything. Certain things [just have] to align."

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Dakota Johnson opens up about toxicity on set, why she prefers producing to acting, and more

Dakota Johnson, who has already made her directorial debut with the Coldplay music video, Cry Cry Cry, and the short film, Loser Baby, was asked at KVIFF if she would ever begin producing her own movies:

“I think I will direct a feature, a very small one, hopefully soon. And it’s really close to my heart and very close to TeaTime. We’re making it with Vanessa Burghardt, who played my daughter in Cha Cha Real Smooth. She’s an incredible autistic actress," she responded. “I’ve always felt that I’m not ready to direct a feature. I don’t have the confidence. But with her, I feel very protective, and I know her very well, and … I just won’t let anybody else do it.”

Johnson then revealed that when it comes to picking projects, she is looking for something that elicits emotions:

“Usually, it’s something that is either visually or emotionally provocative. And I don’t mean that in a s*xual way. I mean it in [the sense] that it provokes something that is different than what you see on TV right now or on streaming platforms. A lot of them are also female characters. So it’s female-centric films where the woman is different from what you see, and complex and nuanced, and maybe an anti-hero that you love.”

Dakota Johnson said this could even feature a woman “who maybe does things that you would deem atrocious, but you are really on her side because she’s angry."

Producing, however, gives her the flexibility to choose who she wants to work with, which will prove conducive to a positive environment:

“I can’t waste time on toxic sets anymore, or in situations that are not fun or fulfilling or healthy,” Dakota Johnson said.

“With producing, that’s one of the perks.” She added, “Now, … being a producer and developing my own films, I can choose all the people,” she said.

When asked about what she considers to be toxic, she clarified, “anybody who’s mean or condescending or unkind”:

“I don’t want to face people who are not willing to collaborate,” she continued. “And then there are obvious things. We all know what a toxic set is by now. We’re artists, so there’s room for expansive personalities, and we’re working with emotions. I love a healthy argument on a set, and I also believe that the most excellent idea wins. It’s not a fight. It’s not a race. It’s a collaboration,” the actress stated as per Variety.

Dakota Johnson is the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, both of whom are distinguished actors in their own right. She is also the step-daughter of Antonio Banderas. Johnson made her debut at the age of 10 in the latter's 1999 film Crazy in Alabama.

In addition to being honored with the award at this year's ceremony, the actress was present for two of her films, the romance dramedy Materialists, where she stars alongside Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal, as well as Michael Angelo Covino’s Splitsville, which she produced.

Over the years, however, she has amassed an expansive number of credits to her name, though she feels like in recent years, the ethos at Hollywood is not what it used to be.

During a recent appearance on Hot Ones, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter in June 2025, Dakota Johnson said that the industry is “a bit of a mess” right now because studios keep looking to make “the same things”:

“Hollywood is so risk-averse,” Dakota Johnson said, having seen it “up close and personal.”

Johnson stated:

“I think 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, and that tends to be what’s occurring a lot.”

She also noted that:

“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, so I don’t know, I guess it’s all just a bit of a mess right now, isn’t it?”

Dakota Johnson recently wrapped up filming for Amazon MGM Studios’ film adaptation of author Colleen Hoover's Verity. It is being directed by Michael Showalter, and sees the likes of Josh Hartnett and Anne Hathaway star in it.

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