Dakota Johnson struggled to pay rent after father Don Johnson cut financial support
Dakota Johnson recalled how her father, Don Johnson, had cut her off financially after she didn't get into college.
While being interviewed by her "Materialists" co-star Pedro Pascal for Elle UK, the 35-year-old actress revealed that she had only applied to one college, the Julliard School, but she had been rejected by the prestigious conservatory.
Johnson opted not to apply to other colleges and initially wasn't able to support herself with the acting gigs that she could land at the time.
"I didn't get in and my dad cut me off because I didn't go to college," Johnson told Pascal. "So, I started auditioning. I think I was 19 when I did "The Social Network," and then little jobs and stuff after that."
"For a couple of years it was hard to make money," she admitted. "There were a few times when I'd go to the market and not have money in my bank account or not be able to pay rent, and I'd have to ask my parents for help – I'm very grateful that I had parents that could help me and did help me. But it certainly was not fun. The auditioning process, as you know, is the f------ worst."
Dakota told Pascal that applying to Juilliard was also really challenging. One of the most elite performing arts schools in the world, The Juilliard School in New York City only accepts about 10% of applicants.
"That f------ process was so awful and terrifying," Johnson recalled. "When you get accepted for an audition, it's a two-day long chorus-line thing. You're supposed to get called back for a second audition, and I didn't."
"It was fine, I really didn't want to go to college," she continued. "And because Juilliard felt so small – the idea of being in a classroom with the same group of people, and figuring out how to be a human in that environment, after growing up surrounded by so many different kinds of people and immersed in different cultures through traveling all over. . . . It just felt really wrong to lock myself in one place."
Don, 75, shares Johnson with his ex-wife Melanie Griffith, 67. Don and Griffith first married in 1976 but divorced six months later. The "Miami Vice" star and the "Working Girl" actress tied the knot again in 1989 and welcomed Dakota that year, but they split again in 1996.
Johnson told Pascal that she had not had the typical school experience, since she had spent most of her childhood traveling with Don and Griffith while they filmed acting projects.
"I traveled with my parents and with a tutor until I was 10 years old," she said. "I went to a bunch of different schools all over, and we lived in Spain for quite a while, because my mom and Antonio [Banderas] were married. At one point, I went to an all-girls Catholic boarding school. That was an interesting experience."
She went on to say that she moved back to Los Angeles and attended the private New Roads School for the last three years of high school. However, the "Madame Webs" actress admitted that she hadn't been the best student.
"I was bad at basic school stuff because I never learnt time management or did my homework," Johnson said. "I enjoyed English. I was good at Spanish, I was not at math. I did visual arts, and then at one point they had a pseudo-theatre program that I was a part of, and then I got kicked out of it, because I abandoned my schoolwork and started failing classes."
Johnson played a minor role in Aaron Sorkin's hit 2010 biographical drama "The Social Network." The actress made her career breakthrough in 2015 when she starred as Anastasia Steele in "50 Shades of Grey" and reprized her role in the movie's two sequels.
During an appearance on "Good Morning America," Don, who is also father to sons Jesse, Jasper and Deacon and daughter Grace, shared his thoughts on some of his kids following in his footsteps and pursuing acting.
"I warned them against it. I said, 'This is not for you,'" Johnson said.
"When Dakota was graduating from high school . . . we have a rule in the family," he continued. "The rule is that if you don't go on to college and get a job, you're off the family payroll.
"Out of high school, I went to Dakota and said, 'Do you want to go visit some colleges?' And she said, 'I'm not going to college.' I said, 'Oh, that's interesting. How are you going to look after yourself?' She said, 'Don't you worry about it. I'm going to be an actress.'
"Three months later, she had that part in 'The Social Network' and hasn't looked back," he added.
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