Dakota Johnson opened up about the harsh realities of producing during an onstage conversation at the Red Sea International Film Festival on Friday, calling the behind-the-scenes world of filmmaking far more difficult and emotionally taxing than acting.
Johnson, who co-founded TeaTime Pictures with former Netflix executive Ro Donnelly in 2019, said stepping into producing felt like a natural progression after growing up in the industry and spending her childhood on set with parents Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith.
“You See Behind the Curtain — and It’s Ugly”
While Johnson loves the creative responsibility that comes with producing, she admitted that the process can expose some disturbing truths.
“I honestly think producing is more challenging,” she said. “There’s something about acting where I feel I’m in a bubble, and producing — you see behind the curtain and it’s really ugly. Realizing that financiers are really shady sometimes is heartbreaking.”
The Madame Web and Cha Cha Real Smooth star said that as a producer, she sees firsthand what it takes to get films funded, supported, and completed — and that the pressure can be intense.
Championing Female-Led and Human-Centered Stories
Johnson said TeaTime Pictures is focused on projects driven by female perspectives and deeply human emotional experiences.
“We’re drawn to female-driven, human experience projects,” she said. “I want to make movies about women and people going through some sort of evolution, internally and externally.”
The company is currently developing several major titles, including Johnson’s directorial debut, A Tree Is Blue, starring autistic actress Vanessa Burghardt. It follows TeaTime’s premiere project, the Sundance award-winning drama Cha Cha Real Smooth.
However, Johnson declined to give updates on A Tree Is Blue, keeping production progress private.
Learning to Say No to the Wrong Roles
Reflecting on her acting career, Johnson said she has become wiser and more selective in the roles she chooses.
“I’ve definitely been persuaded to do some things in the past I realized in retrospect weren’t right for me,” she told the audience. “Now I’m looking at where this person exists in me and how I can stretch myself.”
She added that she seeks out roles that challenge her emotionally and allow her to confront internal truths.
Seven Years of Producing — and Still Learning
With seven completed productions now under TeaTime, Johnson said she is constantly growing in both artistic and personal ways.
“I want to evolve more and as an actress go places I wasn’t able to go before,” she explained. “There’s a lot I need to get out, and I think I can find projects where I can do that.”
Though she acknowledges the darker side of the industry, she remains dedicated to building stories that matter.
