đŹ Dakota Johnson to Direct Debut Feature, But Wonât Stand Toxic Sets! đ«
- MediaFx

- Jul 7, 2025
- 2 min read
TL;DR: Dakota Johnson is all set to đ„ direct her first feature film, teaming up with her Cha Cha Real Smooth co-star Vanessa Burghardt, who is an autistic actress and writer. Through her company TeaTime Pictures, she wants to make female-focused, emotional, and non-toxic movies. Sheâs also calling out Hollywoodâs âcommittee-driven,â boring culture and demanding spaces where good ideas matter more than big egos. đȘ #TeaTime #Hollywood

đ„ Whatâs the Buzz?
Dakotaâfamous for #FiftyShades, #MadameWeb, and loads of cool indie filmsâis now stepping behind the camera to direct a small feature project written by Vanessa Burghardt. Vanessa earlier played her daughter in Cha Cha Real Smooth and is an autistic storyteller âš.
Dakota said she earlier felt ânot readyâ to direct, but this script made her feel super protective and excited to bring the story to life. đŹđ
Her company, #TeaTimePictures, has already worked on stuff like the Coldplay music video âCry Cry Cry,â the short film Loser Baby, and movies like Materialists and Splitsville. đ
đ± Why NowâAnd Why This Film?
Dakotaâs done with toxic work vibes đ€. She shared how as a producer, she now picks every single person on set to make sure thereâs respect and healthy teamwork.
She wants her movies to have strong female characters, sometimes even anti-heroes. She says sheâs tired of the same old âalgorithm-selectedâ boring content on streaming platforms. #FreshStories đ„
She believes success is not just about box office moneyâitâs about creating an emotional connection with audiences that lasts. đ«¶
đȘ Calling Out Hollywoodâs Creative Mess
Dakota is not scared to speak her mind. She called Hollywoodâs studio system âa messâ đ€Ż. She hates when big committees control movies instead of trusting the people who actually care about stories.
She even talked about her experience on #MadameWeb, saying she signed up for one film but landed in another because of too much corporate interference. đ
Her clear message? Audiences are smart and can sense when something is fake or just made for money. She wants creators to stop with lazy remakes and bring new, bold ideas. đ§ đ„
đ©âđ§ Why Vanessa Burghardt Matters
Vanessa is an autistic actress and writer, and we hardly see such voices getting space in big movies. Dakota feels itâs her duty to uplift and protect Vanessaâs vision.
This new film is about âa young woman with autism,â and Dakota wants it to be honest and real. đ #AuthenticRepresentation
â MediaFx Opinion
From peopleâs perspective, this is a big win for all working-class artists. It proves that real creativity comes from respect, inclusion, and passion, not giant corporate offices deciding whatâs âmarketable.â When filmmakers stand by fresh voices and refuse toxic environments, it inspires everyone to believe in their own stories. Thatâs how real change beginsâby putting heart over profit. â€ïžâ
đŹ Join the Convo!
đ Do you think more studios should let directors pick their own crew?đ Are you excited to see an autistic-led story on the big screen?đ Drop your thoughts below and letâs keep the chat rolling! đŹđ„













































