Dakota Johnson Criticizes Hollywood’s Decrease in Harsh Critique

She criticized movie studio executives for frequently depending on a group of individuals who have minimal exposure to films, resulting in repetitive content created to satisfy algorithms or capitalize on audience familiarity.

During an episode of “Hot Ones” on Thursday, June 12, Dakota Johnson participated in a spicy chicken wings challenge. While navigating through various levels of heat, the show’s host, Sean Evans, questioned her on the reason behind Hollywood’s current aversion to taking risks.

“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. That tends to be what’s occurring a lot,” she responded.

Johnson continued, hammering on another issue she felt made Hollywood a bit stagnant.

“I think also, when something does well, studios want to keep that going, so they remake the same things. 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?” the star said.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, the actress made it clear that she wasn’t to blame for the critical failings.

“It wasn’t my fault,” she said. “There’s this thing that happens now where a lot of creative decisions are made by committee. Or made by people who don’t have a creative bone in their body. And it’s really hard to make art that way. Or to make something entertaining that way.”

The 35-year-old revealed that for “Madame Web,” things changed along the way during production.

“It started out as something and turned into something else. And I was just sort of along for the ride at that point. But that happens. Bigger budget movies fail all the time,” she said.

Johnson’s performance in the superhero movie earned her a Razzie award for Worst Actress at the 2025 ceremony.

The film also bagged the award for Worst Screenplay and Worst Picture. Considering how badly the movie did, it is no wonder that the movie star revealed she wouldn’t take on such a role again.

“I had never done anything like it before. I probably will never do anything like it again because I don’t make sense in that world. And I know that now,” Johnson told Bustle. “But sometimes in this industry, you sign on to something, and it’s one thing, and then as you’re making it, it becomes a completely different thing, and you’re like, ‘Wait, what?”

The film, set in Sony’s Spider-Man movie universe, was released on Valentine’s Day. It starred Johnson as Cassandra Webb, a paramedic who develops psychic powers and becomes a reluctant hero.

Dakota Johnson is working to make a difference in Hollywood, particularly through her production company, TeaTime Pictures.

During her time on “Hot Ones,” Evans asked the star if she experienced more stress working as a producer on a project.

“I really prefer it,” she said, explaining, “It’s hard to be on some jobs where I don’t have input, creative input.”

Johnson had previously told Deadline that being a producer was what she had always wanted as it allowed for more collaborations and creative freedom.

“I just wanted to be more involved, learn more and be more creative as well as be a part of the whole process of making a movie as opposed to just showing up on set and saying my lines,” she told the publication.