Dakota Johnson is a nepo baby on both sides and rose to internet popularity by scorching Ellen. She’s kind of fussed over for being kooky and iconic but let’s have a real conversation here: can Dakota Johnson carry a film? Can she…act? If we put her up against her contemporaries, is there an audience seeking out Dakota Johnson movies?

She’s a fun celebrity but the work is not top tier.

Typically I’m not really into superhero stuff but Lanterns has me hooked. Yes it’s Coach Taylor but also Aaron Pierre – a star is born. And the storytelling is snappy, there’s still a few episodes left in the season and the major conflict has been resolved, which means we haven’t gotten to the true mystery.

Sarah Paulson’s interview in Variety has been making headlines because she talked about her lack of career heat after playing Marcia Clarke. While she is booked and busy, she said Courtney B. Vance and Sterling K. Brown were offered the big movie roles and she wasn’t. She talks about ageism and how playing “difficult women” impacted her offers. I get what she is saying, but Courtney B. Vance was in films before that miniseries, and Sterling K. Brown is still primarily a TV actor, so I don’t know if the comparison is apt. She’s most closely associated with Ryan Murphy and I don’t associate Ryan Murphy with quality. He is hit and miss, at best. 

Timothee Chalamet had a solid run of high-profile films and appearances (especially courtside at the Knicks games), it seems like just yesterday we were arguing about ballet and opera. He’s been quiet this summer, which will probably continue until Dune: Part Three.

The funniest part about the Digger press run is the viral theory that it is a musical and the fear that the audience will actually be tricked into sitting through a song-and-dance film. “Sources” denied it to Variety, which has only fueled the conspiracy.

Dakota Johnson does press for Verity in New York, September 18, 2026

 

 

 

Photo credits: Fernando Ramales/Backgrid

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