Throughout the Fifty Shades promotional tours, Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson were repeatedly asked about their chemistry—and their answers always sounded too rehearsed. That’s because they were.
According to an ex-publicist, both stars were given talking points and media training to fake warmth—even when tensions ran high. “They were told, ‘Smile, touch, laugh, repeat,'” the source said. “Because the truth wouldn’t sell.”
Behind closed doors, Dakota and Jamie had a mutual respect—but also creative clashes. They disagreed over Christian’s tone, Ana’s passivity, and the story’s portrayal of control. Some days, they barely spoke. But in public, they had to act like they were inseparable.
In one interview, a moment of tension leaked through when Dakota rolled her eyes at Jamie’s answer and whispered, “That’s not what you said yesterday.” The clip went viral—but fans dismissed it as playful.
It worked. The illusion sold millions of tickets. But once the cameras stopped, the distance returned. “They acted together on screen—and off it, they acted like they were friends. It was all performance.”
