Dakota Johnson Says She's Always 'Ready' to Film Intimate Scenes in Resurfaced Clip: 'I'm Always Psyched Up'

Dakota Johnson has no problem getting into character for intimate scenes.

The Fifty Shades of Grey star recently made that clear when a resurfaced podcast clip showed her joking about how she prepares for on-screen s--. During her appearance on Amy Poehler's “Good Hang” podcast in June 2025, Johnson opened up about filming steamy moments and explained why she doesn't need much encouragement before getting started.

Poehler asked, "When you have to do s-- scenes, like how do you psych yourself up for that?"

Johnson didn't hesitate with her response: "Amy, I don't have to. I'm like always psyched up for s--. F--- yeah. Psyched up? Is that a thing?”

The comedian played along, joking, "You're like 7:30 a.m., let's do it. Let's go to pound town. Let's go to pound town, everybody, let's get the lights in here."

The discussion then shifted to what goes on behind the scenes during intimate scenes. After Johnson revealed she hadn't worked with an intimacy coordinator until last year, Poehler pressed her on the experience of performing simulated sessions.

"A fake s-- scene is like being an astronaut, like so few people have done it,” Poehler said.

Johnson offered a more practical explanation of the process: "When two actors pretend that they're having s--, you do all the things except have s--. Make sounds like you're having s--, and you're not. Yet."

The two shared a laugh over the exchange, which has since resurfaced as Johnson's latest film, Verity, arrived in theaters on October 2.

Johnson's comments are drawing renewed attention as audiences see her in Verity, which also stars Anne Hathaway.

The film features a hot moment between the two actresses.

“It started with ‘we need some s--- stuff to happen,’” film director Michael Showalter told Variety in a recent interview.

He then described the scene's emotional setup, which involves Johnson's character, Lowen, and Jeremy, played by Josh Hartnett.

“In the book, she’s looking at the picture of Harper, has the conversation with Jeremy, she talks about how great he was, and they have this intimate hug moment that I thought had the potential to be something very sexually charged," he continued. “And it’s just a hug, but it’s between two people who are in such strange contexts and who desperately need to be hugged. What’s interesting is that Lowen is turned on. She’s hugging him in his profound moment of grief that then turns erotic, and where do you put that energy?”

According to Showalter, Hathaway and Johnson helped take the scene in a more provocative direction, adding the kiss featured in the movie's trailer.

“It really evolved into Anne and Dakota saying, ‘What if while she’s making out with him, it turns into [Anne]?’ And me going, ‘If you want to do that, yeah,’ he said. “And I thought there was something very s---, erotic about Dakota being like, ‘I’m just going to sit on your lap and start kissing you.’ She sees Jeremy and just goes there, and that felt like the beginning of something that felt transgressive. She took this thing that she wants, and he’s there for it.”

Johnson first became a household name after landing the lead role in the Fifty Shades of Grey film trilogy, which explored BDSM and sexual relationships.

Despite the attention surrounding the franchise's explicit content, Johnson has also made it clear that she doesn't regret taking on the role.

She has said she is "truly proud of it," adding that “[it's] a cool story, and I think it’s different, and different is what I’m about.”