Dakota Johnson shared truth behind filming intimate Fifty Shades of Grey scenes

Dakota Johnson revealed what it was like working with an intimacy coordinator for the first time, years after her breakout role in Fifty Shades of Grey.

While discussing how she prepares for intimate scenes, the Ben and Kate star joked that she’s ‘always psyched up for sex’ and doesn’t need to prepare.

But while speaking on the Good Hang podcast with host Amy Poehler, she revealed in 2025: “I recently did a movie a few months ago and we had an intimacy coordinator on set and it was the first time I’ve ever worked with one.”

She added: “And she was really great. It was so cool because I’m so used to, you know, it’s a sex scene. It’s not sexy. It doesn’t feel good.”

Johnson had her breakout role in the big screen adaptation of the erotic drama Fifty Shades of Grey in 2015. She starred as Anastasia Steele opposite Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey. The pair’s characters engage in a BDSM relationship.

Dakota Johnson recalled filming steamy scenes before intimacy coordinators became a major part of filmmaking (Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

The actress, 37, recalled signing on to the film at a time before intimacy coordinators became a major part of Hollywood productions.

Johnson, who most recently starred in the movie adaptation of the Colleen Hoover novel Verity, explained her approach to filming intimate scenes.

“First, I think it depends on, who is the character, and who is the character supposed to be to the audience,” she shared. “Is she a super idolised hot girl? Is she a housewife? Is she lonely? Is she scared? Is she conservative? So, that’s obviously character work, but then certain prep would go into it. I want to feel good in my body if I’m showing my body. My mom raised me to be really, really proud of my body and love my body. So, I’ve always felt so grateful for that, especially in my work because I can use it and it feels real.”

Dakota Johnson most recently appeared in Verity (TheStewartofNY/Getty Images)

The actress previously described how the movie changed over time during production. While speaking to Vanity Fair, she said: “I signed up to do a very different version of the film we ended up making. [E.L. James] had a lot of creative control, all day, every day, and she just demanded that certain things happen. There were parts of the books that just wouldn’t work in a movie, like the inner monologue, which was at times incredibly cheesy. It wouldn’t work to say out loud. It was always a battle. Always. When I auditioned for that movie, I read a monologue from ‘Persona’ and I was like, ‘Oh, this is going to be really special.’"

She added: “There were a lot of different disagreements. I haven’t been able to talk about this truthfully ever, because you want to promote a movie the right way, and I’m proud of what we made ultimately and everything turns out the way it’s supposed to, but it was tricky.”

Johnson, whose parents are actors Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, also credited her mother with helping her feel comfortable in her own skin and encouraging open conversations about sex, which she said has been particularly valuable when filming such vulnerable scenes.