Latest news with #Materialists
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How to win a press tour, as modeled by Dakota Johnson
The press tour is over. Materialists is out. The verdict is in: There's just something special about Dakota Johnson. She's a nepo baby with a Hollywood pedigree that, on paper, should make her seem unapproachable. Her parents are stars Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, and her grandmother is Tippi Hedren. Her first leading role? Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades of Grey, a movie franchise that could have typecast her into oblivion. But somehow, Dakota Johnson has taken everything that might have worked against her and turned it into her superpower. Just like in Materialists, she's technically one-third of a love triangle alongside internet boyfriends Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal — but in every interview, whether solo or alongside her costars, it's clear: she's the one stealing the show. Johnson didn't just promote a movie — she reminded us why she's one of the most magnetic, self-aware stars working today. Her media blitz for the film showed us the actress at her most charming: effortlessly chic, disarmingly unfiltered and entirely in control of the narrative. Materialists marked Johnson's first big press tour since 2024's Madame Web fiasco, the superhero flop that could've ended most stars' careers. Johnson proved once again she's not afraid to get in on the joke. Instead of hiding from the bomb, she met the criticism head-on and didn't shy away from discussing it this time around. It really was a master class in turning chaos into a cool, controlled comeback, with really good outfits. From the outside, Johnson's Materialists rollout looked like the usual checklist: a few late-night appearances with funny and relatable anecdotes, a podcast or two, fashion blogs buzzing over every cool girl outfit and dinner with high-profile friends like Taylor Swift. But what set it apart was Johnson's authenticity. There were no obviously rehearsed talking points, no damage control and definitely no over-explaining. The latter applied to her personal life too. The more she leaned into the unpredictability — showing up a little cheeky and extremely herself — the more fans (and fashion blogs and internet stan accounts) leaned in. Whether she was kissing a cardboard cutout of Pedro Pascal's face on the red carpet at the film's premiere, dropping a casual curse on live TV or flawlessly eating hot wings in a suede jacket worth more than most people's rent, this wasn't just a press tour — it was performance art. And Johnson nailed every scene. Here's how she pulled it off — with sharp humor, sharp style and a complete command of the spotlight. Need proof? Just watch what happened when she strolled onto The Tonight Show on June 3 in a plunging Ferragamo blazer, mini skirt and zero panic. Johnson joked to host Jimmy Fallon that it was the 'wrong outfit' for the occasion. 'My eyes are up here,' she told him. Fallon handed her a tissue in a mock attempt to help cover up her cleavage, which she gamely wore, and teased that he was going to sell it on eBay after the show. Johnson knew what she was there to do — she had a film to promote, after all — so once the wardrobe discussion was out of the way, she went on to share funny anecdotes about her relationship with her Materialists costar Pascal, who himself has charmed the masses with his endearing interviews, offbeat sense of humor and disarming humility. Fallon showed the audience a photo of the two of them together at a 2024 Stevie Nicks concert in London, and Johnson said Pascal was wearing her sweater. "He does that a lot; he takes my clothes," she said. 'He's always underdressed … I mean, he's wearing a T-shirt and it's cold outside. Not like he forgot his pants.' And with that deadpan nod to her ensemble, the audience ate it up. Days later, over on Late Night with Seth Meyers, she once again opened with a line about her not wearing pants. The girl is committed to her bit! She brought her signature dry humor to a conversation about baseball, or rather, her lack of knowledge about it, while cheekily explaining the custom Mets jersey she wore to a game that read 'DJ 69.' It's not just limited to late night, either. In the early hours of the Today show with costar Chris Evans, he kept it safe, whereas she went for it. When asked by Craig Melvin what a nonnegotiable quality in a partner was, Evans said, 'Must love dogs.' But not Johnson. When prompted for her response, she calmly said, 'Not an asshole.' The host scrambled, asking producers to 'clean that up for the West Coast.' Johnson sat there, unbothered. Johnson's Hot Ones appearance was no different. She dressed in a rich toffee suede Khaite jacket that retails for nearly $6,000 and devoured increasingly spicy wings without flinching — all while dropping a perfectly timed dig at Madame Web. When host Sean Evans joked he wasn't a superhero after a particularly brutal wing, Johnson shot back, 'I'm also not a superhero. Tried. Failed.' And no, she didn't spill one drop of sauce on that jacket. Of course she didn't. If her commentary was performance art, her wardrobe was the visual storytelling. Take the sheer Nensi Dojaka dress she wore heading to Late Night with Seth Meyers. She wore the gauzy, body-skimming number just one day after news of her reported split from Chris Martin broke. Whether intentional or not, it screamed 'revenge dress' — and it worked. Johnson looked every bit the unaffected movie star: polished, elusive and aspirational. Throughout the Materialists tour, her outfits reflected the same energy she brought to the screen: expensive, a little unapproachable and totally watchable. Fashion blogs and social media accounts dissected each look like it was an episode recap. Where was that Balenciaga bodysuit from? Which Gucci purse is that? Can you get those knockoff Ophelia Eve earrings? And it tracked. After all, her character Lucy is a high-end matchmaker who says she only wants to marry rich — so naturally, Johnson's press tour wardrobe felt like something both she and Lucy could pull off. Whether it was the see-through dress, a plunging Ferragamo blazer with no shirt underneath or paparazzi shots of her in thigh-high boots and an oversized trench, every outfit served a purpose, served a headline or just served us great fashion. Then there was the Materialists premiere on June 7, where Johnson showed up in a floor-length, asymmetrical, backless black Gucci gown. It oozed romance — fitting for a rom-dram, sure, but maybe also a wink at the end of a very public (and very quietly handled) breakup. As always, she let the look speak for itself. Everyone else did the talking. Johnson's alleged split from Martin, her partner on and off for eight years, could have been a tabloid distraction. But it never really got the oxygen it needed to dominate headlines. That wasn't by accident. The news broke as Johnson's press tour was kicking off, which is a time when personal questions are generally off-limits during any press appearances. It controls a narrative and was a strategically perfect moment to let the story land — and then disappear. Although her ex didn't exactly give her a helping hand. After reports surfaced of their breakup, the Coldplay frontman shouted out Johnson's film on stage at the band's Las Vegas concert. ('Thank you, everybody! Be kind to each other!' he told the crowd. 'Don't forget to go see Materialists!') It's giving text me back vibes while Johnson metaphorically has already changed her number. Rather than offer quotes or go quiet, Johnson did her job as she kept showing up, delivering sound bites and stealing the spotlight. She even made space for a little realness, or at least the appearance of it, when she mentioned her no 'assholes' rule on the Today show. The result? A breakup that barely registered amid a wave of headlines about her humor, her style and her undeniable charisma. And isn't that the most Dakota Johnson move of all, letting people talk about her without really saying a thing? In the end, Materialists might be a hotly debated rom-dram, but Johnson's press tour was its own kind of love story between a movie star and her audience. She made us laugh, made us want her closet and made us want to be her best friend. She wasn't just selling a movie. She was selling a feeling — and we bought it. We can't wait to see what she does next.
NZ Herald
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
How a salary figure changes everything in Materialists
By making the number explicit, Celine Song's new film reflects modern dating realities in a way rom-coms rarely have before. Almost everyone who sees Materialists, writer-director Celine Song's new spin on the old romantic comedy formula, seems to want to talk about one number: US$80,000 ($132,000). That's how much Lucy
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How to win a press tour, as modeled by Dakota Johnson
The press tour is over. Materialists is out. The verdict is in: There's just something special about Dakota Johnson. She's a nepo baby with a Hollywood pedigree that, on paper, should make her seem unapproachable. Her parents are stars Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, and her grandmother is Tippi Hedren. Her first leading role? Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades of Grey, a movie franchise that could have typecast her into oblivion. But somehow, Dakota Johnson has taken everything that might have worked against her and turned it into her superpower. Just like in Materialists, she's technically one-third of a love triangle alongside internet boyfriends Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal — but in every interview, whether solo or alongside her costars, it's clear: she's the one stealing the show. Johnson didn't just promote a movie — she reminded us why she's one of the most magnetic, self-aware stars working today. Her media blitz for the film showed us the actress at her most charming: effortlessly chic, disarmingly unfiltered and entirely in control of the narrative. Materialists marked Johnson's first big press tour since 2024's Madame Web fiasco, the superhero flop that could've ended most stars' careers. Johnson proved once again she's not afraid to get in on the joke. Instead of hiding from the bomb, she met the criticism head-on and didn't shy away from discussing it this time around. It really was a master class in turning chaos into a cool, controlled comeback, with really good outfits. From the outside, Johnson's Materialists rollout looked like the usual checklist: a few late-night appearances with funny and relatable anecdotes, a podcast or two, fashion blogs buzzing over every cool girl outfit and dinner with high-profile friends like Taylor Swift. But what set it apart was Johnson's authenticity. There were no obviously rehearsed talking points, no damage control and definitely no over-explaining. The latter applied to her personal life too. The more she leaned into the unpredictability — showing up a little cheeky and extremely herself — the more fans (and fashion blogs and internet stan accounts) leaned in. Whether she was kissing a cardboard cutout of Pedro Pascal's face on the red carpet at the film's premiere, dropping a casual curse on live TV or flawlessly eating hot wings in a suede jacket worth more than most people's rent, this wasn't just a press tour — it was performance art. And Johnson nailed every scene. Here's how she pulled it off — with sharp humor, sharp style and a complete command of the spotlight. Need proof? Just watch what happened when she strolled onto The Tonight Show on June 3 in a plunging Ferragamo blazer, mini skirt and zero panic. Johnson joked to host Jimmy Fallon that it was the 'wrong outfit' for the occasion. 'My eyes are up here,' she told him. Fallon handed her a tissue in a mock attempt to help cover up her cleavage, which she gamely wore, and teased that he was going to sell it on eBay after the show. Johnson knew what she was there to do — she had a film to promote, after all — so once the wardrobe discussion was out of the way, she went on to share funny anecdotes about her relationship with her Materialists costar Pascal, who himself has charmed the masses with his endearing interviews, offbeat sense of humor and disarming humility. Fallon showed the audience a photo of the two of them together at a 2024 Stevie Nicks concert in London, and Johnson said Pascal was wearing her sweater. "He does that a lot; he takes my clothes," she said. 'He's always underdressed … I mean, he's wearing a T-shirt and it's cold outside. Not like he forgot his pants.' And with that deadpan nod to her ensemble, the audience ate it up. Days later, over on Late Night with Seth Meyers, she once again opened with a line about her not wearing pants. The girl is committed to her bit! She brought her signature dry humor to a conversation about baseball, or rather, her lack of knowledge about it, while cheekily explaining the custom Mets jersey she wore to a game that read 'DJ 69.' It's not just limited to late night, either. In the early hours of the Today show with costar Chris Evans, he kept it safe, whereas she went for it. When asked by Craig Melvin what a nonnegotiable quality in a partner was, Evans said, 'Must love dogs.' But not Johnson. When prompted for her response, she calmly said, 'Not an asshole.' The host scrambled, asking producers to 'clean that up for the West Coast.' Johnson sat there, unbothered. Johnson's Hot Ones appearance was no different. She dressed in a rich toffee suede Khaite jacket that retails for nearly $6,000 and devoured increasingly spicy wings without flinching — all while dropping a perfectly timed dig at Madame Web. When host Sean Evans joked he wasn't a superhero after a particularly brutal wing, Johnson shot back, 'I'm also not a superhero. Tried. Failed.' And no, she didn't spill one drop of sauce on that jacket. Of course she didn't. If her commentary was performance art, her wardrobe was the visual storytelling. Take the sheer Nensi Dojaka dress she wore heading to Late Night with Seth Meyers. She wore the gauzy, body-skimming number just one day after news of her reported split from Chris Martin broke. Whether intentional or not, it screamed 'revenge dress' — and it worked. Johnson looked every bit the unaffected movie star: polished, elusive and aspirational. Throughout the Materialists tour, her outfits reflected the same energy she brought to the screen: expensive, a little unapproachable and totally watchable. Fashion blogs and social media accounts dissected each look like it was an episode recap. Where was that Balenciaga bodysuit from? Which Gucci purse is that? Can you get those knockoff Ophelia Eve earrings? And it tracked. After all, her character Lucy is a high-end matchmaker who says she only wants to marry rich — so naturally, Johnson's press tour wardrobe felt like something both she and Lucy could pull off. Whether it was the see-through dress, a plunging Ferragamo blazer with no shirt underneath or paparazzi shots of her in thigh-high boots and an oversized trench, every outfit served a purpose, served a headline or just served us great fashion. Then there was the Materialists premiere on June 7, where Johnson showed up in a floor-length, asymmetrical, backless black Gucci gown. It oozed romance — fitting for a rom-dram, sure, but maybe also a wink at the end of a very public (and very quietly handled) breakup. As always, she let the look speak for itself. Everyone else did the talking. Johnson's alleged split from Martin, her partner on and off for eight years, could have been a tabloid distraction. But it never really got the oxygen it needed to dominate headlines. That wasn't by accident. The news broke as Johnson's press tour was kicking off, which is a time when personal questions are generally off-limits during any press appearances. It controls a narrative and was a strategically perfect moment to let the story land — and then disappear. Although her ex didn't exactly give her a helping hand. After reports surfaced of their breakup, the Coldplay frontman shouted out Johnson's film on stage at the band's Las Vegas concert. ('Thank you, everybody! Be kind to each other!' he told the crowd. 'Don't forget to go see Materialists!') It's giving text me back vibes while Johnson metaphorically has already changed her number. Rather than offer quotes or go quiet, Johnson did her job as she kept showing up, delivering sound bites and stealing the spotlight. She even made space for a little realness, or at least the appearance of it, when she mentioned her no 'assholes' rule on the Today show. The result? A breakup that barely registered amid a wave of headlines about her humor, her style and her undeniable charisma. And isn't that the most Dakota Johnson move of all, letting people talk about her without really saying a thing? In the end, Materialists might be a hotly debated rom-dram, but Johnson's press tour was its own kind of love story between a movie star and her audience. She made us laugh, made us want her closet and made us want to be her best friend. She wasn't just selling a movie. She was selling a feeling — and we bought it. We can't wait to see what she does next.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dakota Johnson flips the script — and steals the spotlight
The press tour is over. Materialists is out. The verdict is in: There's just something special about Dakota Johnson. She's a nepo baby with a Hollywood pedigree that, on paper, should make her seem unapproachable. Her parents are stars Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, and her grandmother is Tippi Hedren. Her first leading role? Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades of Grey, a movie franchise that could have typecast her into oblivion. But somehow, Dakota Johnson has taken everything that might have worked against her and turned it into her superpower. Just like in Materialists, she's technically one-third of a love triangle alongside internet boyfriends Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal — but in every interview, whether solo or alongside her costars, it's clear: she's the one stealing the show. Johnson didn't just promote a movie — she reminded us why she's one of the most magnetic, self-aware stars working today. Her media blitz for the film showed us the actress at her most charming: effortlessly chic, disarmingly unfiltered and entirely in control of the narrative. Materialists marked Johnson's first big press tour since 2024's Madame Web fiasco, the superhero flop that could've ended most stars' careers. Johnson proved once again she's not afraid to get in on the joke. Instead of hiding from the bomb, she met the criticism head-on and didn't shy away from discussing it this time around. It really was a master class in turning chaos into a cool, controlled comeback, with really good outfits. From the outside, Johnson's Materialists rollout looked like the usual checklist: a few late-night appearances with funny and relatable anecdotes, a podcast or two, fashion blogs buzzing over every cool girl outfit and dinner with high-profile friends like Taylor Swift. But what set it apart was Johnson's authenticity. There were no obviously rehearsed talking points, no damage control and definitely no over-explaining. The latter applied to her personal life too. The more she leaned into the unpredictability — showing up a little cheeky and extremely herself — the more fans (and fashion blogs and internet stan accounts) leaned in. Whether she was kissing a cardboard cutout of Pedro Pascal's face on the red carpet at the film's premiere, dropping a casual curse on live TV or flawlessly eating hot wings in a suede jacket worth more than most people's rent, this wasn't just a press tour — it was performance art. And Johnson nailed every scene. Here's how she pulled it off — with sharp humor, sharp style and a complete command of the spotlight. Need proof? Just watch what happened when she strolled onto The Tonight Show on June 3 in a plunging Ferragamo blazer, mini skirt and zero panic. Johnson joked to host Jimmy Fallon that it was the 'wrong outfit' for the occasion. 'My eyes are up here,' she told him. Fallon handed her a tissue in a mock attempt to help cover up her cleavage, which she gamely wore, and teased that he was going to sell it on eBay after the show. Johnson knew what she was there to do — she had a film to promote, after all — so once the wardrobe discussion was out of the way, she went on to share funny anecdotes about her relationship with her Materialists costar Pascal, who himself has charmed the masses with his endearing interviews, offbeat sense of humor and disarming humility. Fallon showed the audience a photo of the two of them together at a 2024 Stevie Nicks concert in London, and Johnson said Pascal was wearing her sweater. "He does that a lot; he takes my clothes," she said. 'He's always underdressed … I mean, he's wearing a T-shirt and it's cold outside. Not like he forgot his pants.' And with that deadpan nod to her ensemble, the audience ate it up. Days later, over on Late Night with Seth Meyers, she once again opened with a line about her not wearing pants. The girl is committed to her bit! She brought her signature dry humor to a conversation about baseball, or rather, her lack of knowledge about it, while cheekily explaining the custom Mets jersey she wore to a game that read 'DJ 69.' It's not just limited to late night, either. In the early hours of the Today show with costar Chris Evans, he kept it safe, whereas she went for it. When asked by Craig Melvin what a nonnegotiable quality in a partner was, Evans said, 'Must love dogs.' But not Johnson. When prompted for her response, she calmly said, 'Not an asshole.' The host scrambled, asking producers to 'clean that up for the West Coast.' Johnson sat there, unbothered. Johnson's Hot Ones appearance was no different. She dressed in a rich toffee suede Khaite jacket that retails for nearly $6,000 and devoured increasingly spicy wings without flinching — all while dropping a perfectly timed dig at Madame Web. When host Sean Evans joked he wasn't a superhero after a particularly brutal wing, Johnson shot back, 'I'm also not a superhero. Tried. Failed.' And no, she didn't spill one drop of sauce on that jacket. Of course she didn't. If her commentary was performance art, her wardrobe was the visual storytelling. Take the sheer Nensi Dojaka dress she wore heading to Late Night with Seth Meyers. She wore the gauzy, body-skimming number just one day after news of her reported split from Chris Martin broke. Whether intentional or not, it screamed 'revenge dress' — and it worked. Johnson looked every bit the unaffected movie star: polished, elusive and aspirational. Throughout the Materialists tour, her outfits reflected the same energy she brought to the screen: expensive, a little unapproachable and totally watchable. Fashion blogs and social media accounts dissected each look like it was an episode recap. Where was that Balenciaga bodysuit from? Which Gucci purse is that? Can you get those knockoff Ophelia Eve earrings? And it tracked. After all, her character Lucy is a high-end matchmaker who says she only wants to marry rich — so naturally, Johnson's press tour wardrobe felt like something both she and Lucy could pull off. Whether it was the see-through dress, a plunging Ferragamo blazer with no shirt underneath or paparazzi shots of her in thigh-high boots and an oversized trench, every outfit served a purpose, served a headline or just served us great fashion. Then there was the Materialists premiere on June 7, where Johnson showed up in a floor-length, asymmetrical, backless black Gucci gown. It oozed romance — fitting for a rom-dram, sure, but maybe also a wink at the end of a very public (and very quietly handled) breakup. As always, she let the look speak for itself. Everyone else did the talking. Johnson's alleged split from Martin, her partner on and off for eight years, could have been a tabloid distraction. But it never really got the oxygen it needed to dominate headlines. That wasn't by accident. The news broke as Johnson's press tour was kicking off, which is a time when personal questions are generally off-limits during any press appearances. It controls a narrative and was a strategically perfect moment to let the story land — and then disappear. Although her ex didn't exactly give her a helping hand. After reports surfaced of their breakup, the Coldplay frontman shouted out Johnson's film on stage at the band's Las Vegas concert. ('Thank you, everybody! Be kind to each other!' he told the crowd. 'Don't forget to go see Materialists!') It's giving text me back vibes while Johnson metaphorically has already changed her number. Rather than offer quotes or go quiet, Johnson did her job as she kept showing up, delivering sound bites and stealing the spotlight. She even made space for a little realness, or at least the appearance of it, when she mentioned her no 'assholes' rule on the Today show. The result? A breakup that barely registered amid a wave of headlines about her humor, her style and her undeniable charisma. And isn't that the most Dakota Johnson move of all, letting people talk about her without really saying a thing? In the end, Materialists might be a hotly debated rom-dram, but Johnson's press tour was its own kind of love story between a movie star and her audience. She made us laugh, made us want her closet and made us want to be her best friend. She wasn't just selling a movie. She was selling a feeling — and we bought it. We can't wait to see what she does next.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dakota Johnson flips the script — and steals the spotlight
The press tour is over. Materialists is out. The verdict is in: There's just something special about Dakota Johnson. She's a nepo baby with a Hollywood pedigree that, on paper, should make her seem unapproachable. Her parents are stars Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, and her grandmother is Tippi Hedren. Her first leading role? Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades of Grey, a movie franchise that could have typecast her into oblivion. But somehow, Dakota Johnson has taken everything that might have worked against her and turned it into her superpower. Just like in Materialists, she's technically one-third of a love triangle alongside internet boyfriends Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal — but in every interview, whether solo or alongside her costars, it's clear: she's the one stealing the show. Johnson didn't just promote a movie — she reminded us why she's one of the most magnetic, self-aware stars working today. Her media blitz for the film showed us the actress at her most charming: effortlessly chic, disarmingly unfiltered and entirely in control of the narrative. Materialists marked Johnson's first big press tour since 2024's Madame Web fiasco, the superhero flop that could've ended most stars' careers. Johnson proved once again she's not afraid to get in on the joke. Instead of hiding from the bomb, she met the criticism head-on and didn't shy away from discussing it this time around. It really was a master class in turning chaos into a cool, controlled comeback, with really good outfits. From the outside, Johnson's Materialists rollout looked like the usual checklist: a few late-night appearances with funny and relatable anecdotes, a podcast or two, fashion blogs buzzing over every cool girl outfit and dinner with high-profile friends like Taylor Swift. But what set it apart was Johnson's authenticity. There were no obviously rehearsed talking points, no damage control and definitely no over-explaining. The latter applied to her personal life too. The more she leaned into the unpredictability — showing up a little cheeky and extremely herself — the more fans (and fashion blogs and internet stan accounts) leaned in. Whether she was kissing a cardboard cutout of Pedro Pascal's face on the red carpet at the film's premiere, dropping a casual curse on live TV or flawlessly eating hot wings in a suede jacket worth more than most people's rent, this wasn't just a press tour — it was performance art. And Johnson nailed every scene. Here's how she pulled it off — with sharp humor, sharp style and a complete command of the spotlight. Need proof? Just watch what happened when she strolled onto The Tonight Show on June 3 in a plunging Ferragamo blazer, mini skirt and zero panic. Johnson joked to host Jimmy Fallon that it was the 'wrong outfit' for the occasion. 'My eyes are up here,' she told him. Fallon handed her a tissue in a mock attempt to help cover up her cleavage, which she gamely wore, and teased that he was going to sell it on eBay after the show. Johnson knew what she was there to do — she had a film to promote, after all — so once the wardrobe discussion was out of the way, she went on to share funny anecdotes about her relationship with her Materialists costar Pascal, who himself has charmed the masses with his endearing interviews, offbeat sense of humor and disarming humility. Fallon showed the audience a photo of the two of them together at a 2024 Stevie Nicks concert in London, and Johnson said Pascal was wearing her sweater. "He does that a lot; he takes my clothes," she said. 'He's always underdressed … I mean, he's wearing a T-shirt and it's cold outside. Not like he forgot his pants.' And with that deadpan nod to her ensemble, the audience ate it up. Days later, over on Late Night with Seth Meyers, she once again opened with a line about her not wearing pants. The girl is committed to her bit! She brought her signature dry humor to a conversation about baseball, or rather, her lack of knowledge about it, while cheekily explaining the custom Mets jersey she wore to a game that read 'DJ 69.' It's not just limited to late night, either. In the early hours of the Today show with costar Chris Evans, he kept it safe, whereas she went for it. When asked by Craig Melvin what a nonnegotiable quality in a partner was, Evans said, 'Must love dogs.' But not Johnson. When prompted for her response, she calmly said, 'Not an asshole.' The host scrambled, asking producers to 'clean that up for the West Coast.' Johnson sat there, unbothered. Johnson's Hot Ones appearance was no different. She dressed in a rich toffee suede Khaite jacket that retails for nearly $6,000 and devoured increasingly spicy wings without flinching — all while dropping a perfectly timed dig at Madame Web. When host Sean Evans joked he wasn't a superhero after a particularly brutal wing, Johnson shot back, 'I'm also not a superhero. Tried. Failed.' And no, she didn't spill one drop of sauce on that jacket. Of course she didn't. If her commentary was performance art, her wardrobe was the visual storytelling. Take the sheer Nensi Dojaka dress she wore heading to Late Night with Seth Meyers. She wore the gauzy, body-skimming number just one day after news of her reported split from Chris Martin broke. Whether intentional or not, it screamed 'revenge dress' — and it worked. Johnson looked every bit the unaffected movie star: polished, elusive and aspirational. Throughout the Materialists tour, her outfits reflected the same energy she brought to the screen: expensive, a little unapproachable and totally watchable. Fashion blogs and social media accounts dissected each look like it was an episode recap. Where was that Balenciaga bodysuit from? Which Gucci purse is that? Can you get those knockoff Ophelia Eve earrings? And it tracked. After all, her character Lucy is a high-end matchmaker who says she only wants to marry rich — so naturally, Johnson's press tour wardrobe felt like something both she and Lucy could pull off. Whether it was the see-through dress, a plunging Ferragamo blazer with no shirt underneath or paparazzi shots of her in thigh-high boots and an oversized trench, every outfit served a purpose, served a headline or just served us great fashion. Then there was the Materialists premiere on June 7, where Johnson showed up in a floor-length, asymmetrical, backless black Gucci gown. It oozed romance — fitting for a rom-dram, sure, but maybe also a wink at the end of a very public (and very quietly handled) breakup. As always, she let the look speak for itself. Everyone else did the talking. Johnson's alleged split from Martin, her partner on and off for eight years, could have been a tabloid distraction. But it never really got the oxygen it needed to dominate headlines. That wasn't by accident. The news broke as Johnson's press tour was kicking off, which is a time when personal questions are generally off-limits during any press appearances. It controls a narrative and was a strategically perfect moment to let the story land — and then disappear. Although her ex didn't exactly give her a helping hand. After reports surfaced of their breakup, the Coldplay frontman shouted out Johnson's film on stage at the band's Las Vegas concert. ('Thank you, everybody! Be kind to each other!' he told the crowd. 'Don't forget to go see Materialists!') It's giving text me back vibes while Johnson metaphorically has already changed her number. Rather than offer quotes or go quiet, Johnson did her job as she kept showing up, delivering sound bites and stealing the spotlight. She even made space for a little realness, or at least the appearance of it, when she mentioned her no 'assholes' rule on the Today show. The result? A breakup that barely registered amid a wave of headlines about her humor, her style and her undeniable charisma. And isn't that the most Dakota Johnson move of all, letting people talk about her without really saying a thing? In the end, Materialists might be a hotly debated rom-dram, but Johnson's press tour was its own kind of love story between a movie star and her audience. She made us laugh, made us want her closet and made us want to be her best friend. She wasn't just selling a movie. She was selling a feeling — and we bought it. We can't wait to see what she does next.
