STACK NZ June 2015 Issue 63

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Dakota Johnson submits to the role of Anastasia Steele in FIFTY SHADES OF GREY.BLUE STEEL
This is a big film for you.
How did you get the role and
what does it feel like at this
point to be in your shoes?
Dakota Johnson: Well,
I auditioned for it – and
auditioned and auditioned...
It was a crazy process. And
sometimes it feels scary
because it is such a high profile
project and people have had an
eye on it for a while. It makes
you feel a little scared, watched
and judged. But I cannot live
my life wondering what people
are going to think of me. So
I am excited for it. I think we
have done a good job.
Did you hesitate at all to take
the part or did you just jump in?
I hesitated, for sure. But the whole time
I mostly was just really intrigued by it. I was
really interested by it. The emotional journey
that Anastasia goes through is something that I
have not seen in a movie in a long time. It was
interesting to me… And I wanted to try and bring
humour and strength to a woman who most of
the world views as a sensitive little creature.
Why was that important to you?
Because I think that it is okay for women to
be sexual. I think that it is beautiful. And think
that it is especially beautiful that Anastasia
Steele has so much self-worth and grace and
strength, and then she discovers a sexual
side of herself. She tests her limits and her
boundaries. And I think that that’s important
to do in every aspect of your life… This movie
embraces sexual awakening in a way that it
is not a taboo subject. And it should not be.
If I can in some way bring a strength to the
character, that shows Anastasia as an advocate
for people to not be ashamed
of their sexuality, whatever it
is, then that is great.
The film is directed by a
woman, the book is written
by a woman, and the
screenplay was written by a
woman. Do women do erotic
fiction better than men?
I think that a woman has a greater
attention span for the emotional undertones
of a sexual story. Erica (author E.L. James)
and (director) Sam Taylor-Johnson and
(screenwriter) Kelly Marcel – I think that they
really captured the things that made readers
continue reading the book. If it were all just
sex scenes, you would get kind of bored.
You do not because you are fascinated with
the story between these two people, the
trust that they have, and the fact that they
completely, ultimately, love each other. And
that they both change for one another. I think
that the women behind the movie really
amplified that.
This movie embraces sexual
awakening in a way that it is
not a taboo subject.
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