Washington [US]: Dakota Johnson, the 35-year-old actress best known for her breakout role in the Fifty Shades trilogy, recently opened up about the challenges she faced early in her career—including being cut off financially by her father, actor Don Johnson, after she chose to pursue acting over college.
In a candid interview with E! News, Dakota revealed that after high school, she made the decision not to attend college, which prompted her father to end financial support.
“I didn’t get in, and my dad cut me off because I didn’t go to college,” Dakota shared.
“So, I started auditioning. I think I was 19 when I did The Social Network, and then little jobs and stuff after that.”
Despite her famous lineage—her parents are Hollywood veterans Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith—Dakota said she experienced real financial struggle in her early years.
“For a couple of years, it was hard to make money,” she said. “There were a few times when I’d go to the market and not have money in my bank account or not be able to pay rent, and I’d have to ask my parents for help.”
Although she expressed gratitude for her parents’ occasional support, Dakota emphasized that breaking into Hollywood was not easy, especially during the difficult auditioning process.
Her father, Don Johnson, previously addressed the decision during a 2021 appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers.
“We have a rule in the family that if you stay in school, you get to stay on the payroll,” he said.
According to Don, Dakota’s response to losing her allowance was confidently defiant:
“And she says, ‘Don’t you worry about it.'”
Just three weeks later, Dakota landed a small but notable role in David Fincher’s The Social Network—kickstarting her rise in the film industry. She would go on to star in major projects including Fifty Shades of Grey, Suspiria, and The Lost Daughter.