I wasn’t going to cover this, but… after watching Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan’s first joint-interview on yesterday’s Today Show, I just couldn’t help myself. Jamie and Dakota agreed to the Today interview to do some early promotion for Fifty Shades of Grey and to debut the “too hot for morning TV” trailer. I discussed the trailer yesterday – I went in with low expectations and I really enjoyed it. I now think Fifty Shades will be a fun movie to hate-watch. But the point of this interview is simply to point out how f—king awkward Jamie and Dakota are together. If I’m being nice, I’ll say that maybe they were jet-lagged and maybe they weren’t ready to promote this thing quite yet. I’ll also say that Samantha Guthrie was so awful here.
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Right? Ever since I watched The Fall, I’m a Jamie Dornan fan-girl, so keep that in mind when I say that he was game for some fun, he was ready to play around but Dakota was just “like, um” sitting “um, like” there, “I mean, like” a bump on a log. Dakota is the charisma vacuum. Not Jamie. And Dakota couldn’t even scrounge up some interesting soundbyte or a compliment to Jamie either – she called the sex scenes a “task”. Ugh. The promotional tour next year is going to be tedious with Dakota. I suspect I’ll enjoy Jamie’s half though.
Also – Jamie is so HOT with that beard. And that accent. I’m all about the Dornan.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN.
This interview just sums her up. She is so beige in real life with zero personality.
The kind of girl who giggles and says “like” a lot. If you’re entering into a movie like this, you have to own it and have fun with it. Jamie seems up for it but she doesn’t.
I’m so much more attracted to him like this, with his own accent.
They look like they hate each other a bit, which kind of makes me excited to see the press tour. It’ll be unintentionally hilarious.
as soon as she opened her mouth I knew we were in trouble. Hasn’t anyone thought of coaching her on how to handle press interviews??? I’m not sure I’d go so far as to say they hate each other but there’s definitely no love lost there. The press tour is going to be hell for the handlers!
She might get that coaching as they approach January.
I’m still trying to put my finger on this girl. Just a still photo of her annoys me. I don’t know if she is an airhead (look at her parents) or if she is just shy. I’m not going to judge her acting on this movie however.
The studio better get her a stylist too. What the hell is she wearing in that photo? Those white shoes?
I’m not seeing any video on my IPhone so here is a link;
http://m.today.com/entertainment/watch-full-fifty-shades-grey-movie-trailer-what-we-couldnt-1D79966374
She seems horrid.
I mentioned this interview yesterday on the other post about the trailer coming out. I think it may have gotten deleted but I could be wrong. Anyway, I noticed the same thing. JD seemed like he was in a better mindset but kept getting pulled back by DJ so they ultimately both came off rather joyless. It was really awkward. Is she normally like that? She kinda came off as really stuck up.
I concluded that she/they didn’t want to be there, felt it was beneath them, hate each other, or hate the movie they’re promoting. Although there’s not even a final cut yet so I don’t know how that could be the case.
I Think I would have seen this Movie with ANY other actress in the lead. this Dakota person is just boring, dull and completely empty IMO. I just CAN’T with her . at all. Sorry…
My points exactly, the interview was so bad. In my opinion they are ruining the film by being so “frigid” about the film; they need to be actors when “submitting” to the camera. If you watch Victor “Jose” on the Vanity interview he did a wonderful job.
Well, her parents are both thick as mud – so can’t expect much from her.
A bit rude!
I don’t know about her mother but Don Johnson (Dakota’s father) was on ‘The Graham Norton Show’ a few weeks ago, here in the UK, and he was great on it – witty, charismatic and still sexy as hell.
I saw that, he was good. I remember quite liking Melanie Griffith too when she was on Jimmy Kimmel Live a while ago. Although her face was painful to look at :/
Totally disgusting to see people praising Don and putting down Melanie. Don got together with Melanie when he was in his 20s and she was FOURTEEN. They started living together when she was just FIFTEEN. He was an older guy preying on a teenager.
Don Johnson might be all right, but Melanie Griffith is definitely thick. She became a star because of HER parents too (actress Tippi Hedren and producer Peter Griffith). Watching her in “Working Girl” still makes me cringe with embarrassment, and I’ve seen plenty of interviews with her where she comes across as an inarticulate ditz.
you might enjoy hate watching “shining through” where melanie tries to infiltrate the nazi party. the best worst movie ever. she uses the same betty boop voice she uses in real life and at one point thinks she will take down hitler with strudel.
Oh, God, what was that movie she was in where she died her hair brown to play a devout Jewish woman? She played a——no, I am NOT making this up——a detective? Every time she held a gun I expected her to squeeze her eyes shut and squeal.
fairyvexed – i think you are referring to a different bad mel g performance in “a stranger among us”
@Lisa-I loved the book “Shining Through” so much-and it was the worst movie adaptation EVER. She ruined that movie. Ugh. It still makes me mad.
Melanie’s voice is like nails on a chalkboard but she was pretty good in Pacific Heights.
Don Johnson can be a fun interview, but most of the interviews I have seen with Melanie I think she is high as a kite or drunk, and then usually amusing.
Dornan was great on Graham Norton, so he definitely has it in him to do a great interview. Dakota wouldn’t help the dude out.
I can’t decide if she just wants the fame without putting in the enthusiasm or she really is the Amy Adams of tv interviews (Read: ZzzzZZzzzz). Yep, Dakota is a boring bag of boring.
I couldn’t agree more. The problem is on her side. Jamie is always very talkative, fun and witty in his interviews.
Did you seriously just compare this girl who is only famous bc her parents were famous to 5 time oscar nominee, musical theater lover, came from NOTHING and legit made it big on her talent and charm, Amy Adams?
That might be the worst comparison I’ve ever seen. Amy Adams is a class act talent. She’s classic. Dakota is the child of two famous people who grew up rich and is now starring in this terrible movie.
Come the heck on.
I wasn’t comparing their level of talent (or lack there of, in Dakota’s case). Amy is one of the greatest actresses we have. But she is also consistently one of the most boring interviews. Love her, but she is blaaaaaaaaand.
I am going to defend Amy Adams in interviews. I think she can be very funny and interesting, depending on the interviewer. Catch her with Jimmy Fallon she is very good. In fairness to Dakota and Jamie, Savannah Guthrie all but gushes over them and the movie. She is a terrible entertainment interviewer. Jamie sound like he is a bit bored, but trying to liven it up a bit, and Dakota sounds dumb as dirt and bland. She could have tried to be a bit more entertaining when they were talking about her parents, instead she seemed guarded and stiff. Hopefully the promotion will get better or more awkward.
Ok, I’ll defend Dakota. I agree she lacked “spark” here, but maybe she was shy/nervous. I’m not going to hate on a girl for not entertaining me in a promotional interview (not saying you are). I actually found her quietness kind of sweet and understandable. She knows the focus is on this raunchy story-line she’s involved with – I can see that making someone a bit guarded, even an actress. She is new to this level of attention and self-promotion, isn’t she?
Really? I’ve always like Adams’ interviews.
Okay, okay. I guess I have to give Amy Adams: Interview another shot.
I still can’t believe they picked her. Famous parents can take you everywhere. She is so boring.
I can’t watch this because I’m at work but I saw her in a 2 min interview on some entertainment show last night and she was AWFUL. The lack of charisma was palpable.
Thankyou exactly, she’s just a big bag of nothing..
Really? I think she comes across as bland and a bit slow/dumb (all the giggling) – therefore I think she is perfect as Ana.
I think that is perfect as Anna, too. I was pleasantly surprised by Dakota in the trailer. She hit the right notes for me. I liked how easily she played being self-conscious and unsure of herself. My sense is the qualities that make her fit as Anna are the same qualities that may make for a more subdued approach to promotion. Just my two cents.
He looks way better, sexier with a beard.
spot on!!! i knew somethin was missin in that trailer ,his beard !!!!
yeps…how could they think of sexy and not think of his beard?!
And his usual hair is way better than in the trailer/movie.
He’s going places, it’s not only looks but he seems to be a really good actor (even if he chose this project)…She, on the other hand, not so sure about it.
Exactly, I was just thinking the same thing. He is attractive in real life, but in that trailer…meh.
oh no. that’s weird, isn’t it. He’s too clean cut here. I didn’t find him compelling at all.
Agreed. And with or without a beard, I can’t stop thinking he reminds me of a young Colin Firth.
he reminds me SOOOO much of andrew garfield
Really? He does? Really???
http://24.media.tumblr.com/94962ffdef9e6023935adfa1966d1ab2/tumblr_mkv9yzVcvA1qd0sylo3_1280.jpg
Are you really sure of that? REALLY????
It’s a good thing I had already swallowed my coffee when I opened that picture. Scary. He looks like an old man w/o teeth.
Sorry MAF-I should have issued a warning.
The only similarity between these two is that they both have brown hair. Garfield is gross.
That picture is hilarious.
Lol at the Garfield photo. I know TOK is not a fan but I still think he’s kinda cute in a metrosexual kind of way. I don’t see a resemblance between him and Dornan either.
hey kitten…seems like you enjoy refuting my opinion…
why is that?
bella, it probably isn’t you! I think Garfield just trips Kitten’s gag reflex, that’s all. 🙂
I am SO f*cking sick of beards, EXCEPT for on Jaime.
He looks 100% sexier with a beard. Don’t care for him without it.
http://youtu.be/Mdh4gDEhSSs
The look of this movie is just too clinical.
Talk about type casting, right? She seems to have 0 personality, 0 charisma. She’s the Meh Queen.
Are there going to be THREE of these movies (like the books)?
Probably going to be four of them. Splitting the last book into two movies is the new trend.
I think she’s new to the game and has prob never had to do promo on this level- no doubt she was nervous. Jamie is 8 yrs older, and has been on Graham Norton, etc- would expect him to be “better”. Now, if she’s still at this level in a few months after some training- you may have a point. Also didn’t get Samantha G being horrible.
We should cut her some slack, I agree. Very few people come on the scene with a fully formed personality/persona.
Yeah, I tend to agree.
I didn’t find either of them that awkward. She was boring because she doesnt know how to engage. Her answer about her parents was actually kinda cute, though.
He’s incredibly hot and he already charmed me during that Graham Norton interview so I liked him here as well.
But I do think the awkward one was Samantha Guthrie with all her corny enthusiasm. I think it was a little off-putting and maybe even embarrassing for them. It was like “damn lady, its 7am in the morning! Dial it down and stop fanning yourself”.
That said, both of these actors better get used to that kind of interview.
I saw the trailer on mute (was at work) and in still photos I thought Jaime would be super hot on film. But he’s more of a cutie pie in motion. Baby faced. Maybe the accent sells it? I don’t want to add to that trailers view count to just to hear him not on mute. Maybe I’ll YouTube something else he’s been in.
He uses and American accent in this movie… it definitely lessens his hot. He’s hotter with the beard and accent, for sure!
Oh then I’m definitely going to watch a clip with an accent not the trailer! Thanks!
Yep, American accent minus the beard plus the weird staring equals the face of an elevator attacker. He’s so much hotter than this trailer.
Karen – look for his recent appearance on Graham Norton’s show. So charming and with accent. 🙂
“American accent minus the beard plus the weird staring equals the face of an elevator attacker.”
LOL!
*Savannah Guthrie, not Samantha.
Sorry, gotta defend another Savanna because getting called Samantha happens ALL THE TIME.
Really? How weird. They don’t sound that alike. Samantha is so common and I think of Savannah as quite unusual. I’ve never seen it spelled without the h, though.
Oops my bad/ no coffee yet! Lovely names both!
she´s new to the game. he´s been giving interviews for a long time. Every actor is always awkward when they are starting out. she´ll relax and become comfortable and eventually give good interviews. she´s certainly better than kristin stewart, the gold standard of starting out awkward interviews.
New to this level of scrutiny maybe, but not to the industry as a whole. She’s third-generation Hollywood, was the star of her own show for a season, and has had supporting roles in a bunch of movies. And knowing the attention this stupid movie look at, I feel like someone from the studio should’ve been preparing her better for the media.
Inspite of all that, it´s still daunting to do a major press interview which i don´t recall she´s ever done. look at Henry cavill with all his Tudors fame behind him and how awkward he was during the MOS press tour – and that´s adding in English reserve.
Lucy2, yes. You’d think even her parents, knowing this is her first high profile gig, would give her some informal coaching or advice on how to be more engaging.
She isn’t that new, and if we are comparing, Rob Pattinson was even more unfamiliar than her with promotion, and he has always been a great interview subject. In fact his interviews are generally better than his acting. Kristen Stewart is so awkward and bitchy-looking (I don’t know her she might be a doll- though I doubt it) sometimes it is actually interesting to watch. Dakota in this interview is bland, and it is surprising because of her family.
Good point. I guess all the coaching in the world can’t make someone naturally smart or witty or likeable like Rob seems to be.
Exactly. I really don’t see this as a case of her being shy or not seasoned.
I think she’s just dull as f*ck.
lol… Robert’s interviews…. his thrashing of Twilight and/or his character was legendary. 😀 The best thing about the franchise! And yes, Kristen’s bitch face and general “I’m so over Bella” attitude could be entertaining too (although more grating).
Can I just say, I can’t with that hipster knobcheese she is walking with (bf?) and his sideshow Bob feet. he’s only short of wearing a porkpie hat ironically and some sort of homemade bracelet.
Lol. Although he looks like 95% of guys his age in my city so I’m pretty numb to the look. The newest ironic hipster fashion statement seems to be light-washed jorts. I have been seeing them everywhere in hipster hot spots. Apparently nothing is too heinous in the name of disaffected cool.
Hipster knobcheese? Can I steal that?
Take it with my full blessing!
And his shirt is purposefully inside out! Another tell-tale sign of hipster-chic.
Funny story – Zachary Quinto sat in front of us at a play a week ago and was wearing his t-shirt inside out (the back label was facing us). Before the play began, along came the main usher who recognized him and as a kindness, she tried to discreetly tell him his shirt was on inside out and that some theater goers were commenting on it. He told her he knew and that it was ok. She walked away with a totally confused look on her face.
Can’t wait til the hipster thing goes away. Maybe preppy could make a comeback. Or lumberjack. Anything to get rid of skinny jeans on guys!
I HATE SKINNY JEANS ON GUYS. Sorry, still working this out of my system. . .
Ugh, Savanna Guthrie is always sooooo irritating. Who’d wanna start off their day watching her?
I take her over Lauer any day of the week.
Is this the interview where Savannah asked what a ‘fluffer’ was? That had to have been the best-worst, most cringe-worthy laugh out loud moment I’ve seen from a tv interviewer in a while. It made me day, really.
She’s new, but she’s not that new. She had a tv show on fox, so she has had sone experience with interviews.
Jamie is cute and has done very solid character work on The Fall but nothing I’ve seen makes me think he’ll become a huge actor. Celebrity? Sure, this movie will see to that.
Her?…..um well, I guess I like her hair.
I have to disagree here – I think she was perfectly cast. Anastasia is a shy harmless girl in the book. Totally naive. I am looking forward to the movie. I think these interviews and press conferences are difficult for new actors. Let’s not judge too harshly just yet….
with you.
She seemed really irritated that she “had no fans” and it went downhill from there, I think that was why she gave the little dig of filming sex scenes with him as being a task to endure. I’d endure that task all day long thank you very much (with the beard and messy hair and accent). I’m hoping she gets some media training and learns to engage with him and his easy banter. Otherwise the promotion for this movie will be painful but probably entertaining for us to watch.
I wonder if she’s being awkward on purpose, as her character’s supposed to be the same way.
Ha!! I just was thinking the same thing.
Her character is supposed to be bland, boring and basic. It is the charm of Twilight and FSOG. Rich, sexy and smart dude falls in love with a unremarkable girl. So girls and women can feel like they have a chance in a “grand love affair”.
Well said!! if that was true ,ordinary gals like me aught to be on a yatch with Leo right now
I can’t bring myself to watch the interview, but I wonder if all the wide eyed stumbling is on purpose, so she really seems like the idiot character in the book. But I don’t know, maybe she really IS that thick.. No matter which, it sounds like Jamie will have his work cut out for him on this press tour.
LOL at all the Twilight moms showing up to see the trailer at Today. I heard the show didn’t show it live because it was “too hot” for TV? They are really trying hard to drum up excitement, aren’t they?
I read the Kindle “free sample” which included the “stumbling over her feet” scene as she entered his office, which turned me off immediately. That being said, she seemed to fit the role in the trailer. As for Dornan–as someone said yesterday, he’s another Cavill: attractive, but not very sexy.
PERFECT.I really don’t get the Cavill or Dornan hype either. Two ok looking men but nothing to go ga ga over.
Have to disagree with Jamie v Henry- Jamie is WAY better in interviews- Henry during the MOS interviews was just painful! I kept wondering- what have you done with Tudor Henry?
Comparing apples to apples here- thought Rob’s and Camille’s elevator sequence for the Dior ad had a bit more spice than the FSOG one did.
Tig, I agree with you on Dior Rob!
I think Jamie will do fine in this role, and he is able to give engaging interviews, similar to Rob’s. Unfortunately he will be made fun of worse than Rob was for a very long time, no matter if the movie turns out better or worse than expected. I guess he knew that going in though.
I always thought Nina Dobrev should’ve played this part. Dakota is so damn bland — hopefully she looks good naked or her ass is going to be ripped apart online.
No way. After seeing how she played Katherine on the VD, she can turn up the volume on sexy.
My inner 12 year old snickers at “VD”. I know it stands for Vampire Diaries, but still.
My girls love JD ever since Once Upon a Time. 🙂 The few times he’s reappeared (flashbacks) they squeal ‘Graham!’ Too bad the one is only 12 so she won’t be seeing him here. 🙂 My other is 19 but this isn’t her cup of tea–I did tell her to check out The Fall though.
Lol@ his “popped” collar. Hellooooooooo 1984!
Horrible interview with Dakota. Dornan was fine. Yes, Dornan is gonna be great on the promotional tour. He looks sexy and I think he is mature enough to want to present Dakota in the best possible light in public. He’s not going to call his sex scenes with her “a task” like she did. I haven’t read the books but if her character in the movie is supposed to be a clueless bore, I can see why she was cast for the role…
Dakota can barely put a sentence together. She seems very much like her mother. She should have some experience being in the public eye by now and have some interview experience from watching her parents work as celebrities. I hope she gets it together by the end of this year.
@Anname- I dunno- think Jamie will dodge a lot of garbage bec of The Fall- he’s already established his “grit” cred, for lack of a better word.
I do wish folks would lighten up a bit on Melanie G- she too got started in the business at what 15? And moved on to Don Johnson at a pretty young age as well. I realize she’s a poster child for too much bad plastic surgery, but the fact she’s here at all is amazing.
I always feel so bad for Melanie and I don’t understand why people insist on making her into a punch line. She clearly has some very serious, unresolved issues.
I don’t know, the fact he took this role knowing what it entailed opens him up to mocking. Twilight became a punchline – 50 Shades is starting out as a punchline.
He probably will handle it with graceful humor, but I think he definitely damaged his “grit- cred”. Especially if they really make 3 of these movies.
I like Melanie Griffith, but she really is the poster child for what is wrong in Hollywood for women, and I blame Hollywood not her as that is all she has ever known. Most women in Hollywood are expected to not age and look sexy, and not sexy like an older woman but sexy like a 20 year old. Very unrealistic expectation, and this creates the plastic face and if you ask me acerbates any drug or addiction issues she has/had. Unless you are the few actresses that are in the vein of Meryl Streep, and very few are, you are stuck in plastic land. Meg Ryan looks just as bad, if not worse. It really is a shame, and I wish they felt better about themselves not to feel the need as I would have liked to have known how they would have aged more naturally. I bet they would have looked amazing.
He is hot. She appears to be as witless as her mother. Will watch it on a weekend when it comes out on Netflix. Will have to have vodka and remember not to shriek with laughter so as not to disturb the neighbors.
If I had to build my version of a perfect looking human man, he would look exactly like Jamie Dornan.
Jamie is someone who needs hair. he has a nice body though 😛 aren’t him and rpatz friends? wonder if they laugh about him staring in a role based off of pattinson.
It looks like the guy Dakota is walking with buys his jeans in the girls department at Old Navy.
As for Savannah, I actually thought she was pretty good in this interview! She seemed lighthearted and was the only one bringing any energy to keep the conversation going.
I really like The Fall and Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan in it. He doesn’t always nail every scene, but he’s engaging to watch. I don’t want FSOG to affect what has the potential to be a good, quality show. I’m not sure Jamie needed FSOG. Dakota, on the other hand, she can’t sell a movie. She’s not a lead actress. I’m sorry, she’s not. She’s dull and boring. She can’t engage an audience. They are lucky that this series has a built-in audience because any more interviews like this, and they’re screwed.
I swear I read somewhere that season 2 of The Fall starts in Sept- that would be great if true!
Jamie has one or two movies coming out hopefully soon, besides FSOG.
The Fall starts in September? Is this true? Anyway, good luck to Jamie Dornan dealing with the ridiculous fans and Dakota Johnson. Can’t they pretend to like each other?
Maybe she’s still in character…
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA
Mean girls.
Idk.. This seems like a book that shouldn’t be converted into a movie. Though, I can’t judge because I didn’t read it. However, it just seems like a flop waiting to happen.
From an artistic point of view, yes, probably. Although the director seems to have made an effort to prestent the dumb story in the best light possible, it’s still a dumb story.
From a financial point of view – no. They will sell their movie tickets. Remember: this was the most successful erotic novel ever. E. L. James might be a horrible writer but somehow became a great business woman. She’s probably bathing in money Scrooge-McDuck-style right now. So not exactly a flop and I can understand why the producers wanted to have a slice of that very rewarding cake.
I think it was more a case of the interviewer being crap at her job and not knowing how to approach them both with the subject matter. Today’s BTS showed chemistry and how comfortable with each other and their joking in my opinion. People are far too quick to jump into hating and judging both of these actors and I don’t get why. Their careers are just starting out as neither have been at this level in the fame game and obviously it’s going to take a little time to get comfortable, especially when you have someone who can’t interview properly
Thanks – was racking my brain to remember the name of the series with Dornan and Gillian Anderson (The Fall). Both actors are fabulous in it. Zero interest in this movie.
This just confirm my theory that Dakota Johnson was selected to play Anastasia Steele because of mommy and daddy’s connections. Sooo many talented young actresses going to Arts Academies all over the country, trying to land the role of their lifes and the studio choosed this dull, boring woman who has zero chemistry with the lead actor and whom should have been ready to start promoting the movie, specially having two very famous actor for parents? Shame on E.L. James and shame on the studio for destroying what could have been a great movie.
I hate watching awkwardness so I’m not watching the video but I thought she was very charismatic in the trailer and he was uncharismatic and not powerful looking in the movie. So maybe they have their strengths and weaknesses. He’ll be the one to carry the press but she’ll be the one to actually be good enough in the movie.