‘My mom was very open about sexuality’: Dakota Johnson credits Melanie Griffith for body confidence

Dakota Johnson has credited her mother, actor Melanie Griffith, with shaping her confidence around her body and sexuality, saying she grew up in a household where conversations about sex were open rather than treated with shame. The Fifty Shades of Grey star said Griffith’s approach allowed her to understand sexuality on her own terms and ultimately influenced how comfortable she became with her body.

Johnson, the daughter of Griffith and actor Don Johnson, recalled that her mother could sometimes be “maybe too open” while discussing sexuality, but described the overall environment as healthy. Rather than imposing shame or fear, Griffith encouraged her daughter to speak openly when she felt ready to explore relationships and sex.

‘It was really healthy’

Johnson said Griffith made it clear that she could approach her whenever she was ready to have sex and that contraception would be discussed without judgment. Looking back, the actor said those conversations gave her the freedom to discover her sexuality without feeling that it was something she needed to hide.

“I was lucky that I grew up with a mom who was very open — at times maybe too open — about sexuality,” Johnson said. She described Griffith’s message as essentially telling her that whatever she was interested in, she could come to her when she was ready and they would discuss birth control.

Johnson said the approach “was really healthy” and gave her the sense that she was allowed to discover her sexuality independently. She described that freedom as a “gift”, particularly given the shame and restrictions that can often surround conversations about sex while growing up.

Confidence in her body

The actor has previously spoken about how Griffith also encouraged her to be comfortable with her body from a young age. Johnson said her mother raised her to be proud of and love her body, something she has come to appreciate even more because of the physical vulnerability sometimes required by her profession.

That confidence became particularly relevant as Johnson took on roles involving nudity and intimate scenes. Her breakthrough as Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades film franchise placed her in a series of highly intimate scenes, making questions around boundaries, comfort and body confidence an unusually visible part of her work.

Johnson has said she wants to feel comfortable in her own body when a role requires her to show it. Rather than separating that confidence from her upbringing, she has repeatedly linked it to the way Griffith spoke to her about sexuality and self-image.

Lessons carried into work

Johnson has also spoken candidly about filming intimate scenes, stressing that what appears sexual on screen is ultimately part of an actor’s performance. She has said her preparation depends on the character, the nature of the relationship being portrayed and what the scene is intended to communicate to the audience.

Her experience has also shaped the boundaries she maintains on set. Johnson has previously recalled Griffith telling her that she had the right to request a closed set while filming intimate scenes, advice she followed while working on Fifty Shades of Grey.

For Johnson, the openness she experienced growing up appears to have translated into a broader absence of shame around discussing bodies and sexuality. While acknowledging that her mother’s candour could occasionally go further than expected, she has described the underlying message — that sexuality could be discussed honestly and safely — as an important part of her upbringing.