Dakota Johnson 'forgiven' for 'downfall' interview with Ellen DeGeneres

Nearly seven years ago, Dakota Johnson’s infamous 2019 interview with Ellen DeGeneres still circulates online. 

Some fans make jokes about it, while others say they can forgive the Fifty Shades of Grey actress for the disastrous failure of Madame Web.

Some people, especially DeGeneres’s critics, believe Dakota triggered the comedian’s “downfall,” referring to The Ellen DeGeneres Show ending in 2022 after allegations of workplace harassment. 

However, Dakota had nothing to do with what happened to DeGeneres. She only said something that damaged the host’s public image before the allegations surfaced.

In the 2019 interview, which went viral instantly, Dakota contradicted Ellen’s claim that she hadn’t invited the host to her birthday party. Ellen joked she wasn’t invited to Dakota’s 30th birthday. Dakota calmly replied, “Actually, no, that’s not the truth, Ellen. 

You were invited,” after Ellen had made the same complaint the year before. A staff member from The Ellen DeGeneres Show even confirmed it off-camera.

Commenting on the resurfaced clip, one X user wrote: “One awkward interview somehow became one of Hollywood’s most legendary moments.” 

Another said, “I love the fact that Dakota was sitting there like a mob boss’s daughter, coldly staring at Ellen like ‘you have no idea who you’ve just offended by trying to twist the truth around on me like that.’”