Dakota Johnson: A year after Me Too it’s still troubling and frustrating

Dakota Johnson has said she still feels “frustrated, angry, and despondent” as she reflected on the year since the Me Too movement entered the mainstream.

The 50 Shades Of Grey star added she is more concerned about the wider picture than specifically her own industry, but said she is hopeful that the art of film can help make changes.

Arriving at the premiere of her new film Suspiria at the BFI London Film Festival, she said: “It’s a weird time, it’s very troubling, it’s very frustrating.

“At times I feel very despondent, at times I feel very angry. I am more concerned about the state of the whole world than I am about our bubble in the industry, but I do think we can make a substantial change through film and the art of film and if this movie can help with that that would be amazing.”

Suspiria, directed by Call Me By Your Name filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, also stars Tilda Swinton and Mia Goth and features a cast of 38 women.

Johnson said: “I would hope that this would happen more. I don’t know how many films there are that require 38 women, but I would love to see more of them.”

Describing what drew her to the horror film, which centres on a dance company and required her to undergo extensive dance training, she said: “I have been interested in dance my whole life, and movies about witches and energy and magic and I think it’s really delicious subject matter.

“And I think it’s important and a story about manipulation and motherhood and possession and all of those things are interesting.”

Suspiria will be released in UK cinemas on November 16.