Actress Dakota Johnson is not making headlines this time around for her role in a romantic drama or a gripping thriller. Instead, it is due to her disappointment with the cast of the recently released superhero film, Madame Web. The actress, 34, participated in extensive driving stunt training for Sony’s film, but she was not permitted to do any “crazy things” while working on the film.
During her appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Johnson was asked if she was excited to be doing her own stunts in Madame Web, helmed by the British director S. J. Clarkson. The film is based on the same-named character from Marvel Comics. Johnson plays Cassandra Webb, better known as Madame Webb, a clairvoyant with the ability to foresee future occurrences in the ‘spider world’.
Madame Web’s Dakota Johnson Performed Driving Stunt That She Was Not Permitted to Film
Madame Web delves into the past of Madame Web, the clairvoyant matriarch who is among the Spider-Verse’s most intriguing and enigmatic figures. Dakota Johnson plays the lead in the Sony Spider-Man Universe movie, which is directed by S.J. Clarkson, produced by Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, and follows Cassandra Webb as she transforms over a series of surprising turns from regular paramedic to clairvoyant superhero.
Known for her roles in The Peanut Butter Falcon and Fifty Shades film series, the actress reportedly wanted to pull off the stunt herself to give her character a more real feel. At her recent visit to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Johnson was asked if she was excited to perform her own stunts in Madame Web. Her reply was:
“There’s a lot of driving in the movie. My character, Cassie, does a lot of driving. I did some stunt training for driving and I loved it so much. I learned to how do some crazy things that they actually didn’t let me do in the movie, which was so annoying.”
The actress—who debuted at the age of ten in a small role in Crazy in Alabama (1999)—followed up with a clip in which she performed a jaw-dropping driving stunt. Upon seeing the video, Johnson laughed and joked.
“That’s how I parallel park now.”
Madame Web is a gripping story, and Johnson does a great job of bringing Cassandra’s dark past and terrifying new powers to light as she develops her character. However, its grounded, standalone approach might come as a shock to modern audiences accustomed to the humor and intricate canon of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Dakota Johnson Had Initial Concerns About Madame Web
In an Entertainment Weekly interview, Dakota Johnson said she believed that some scenes in Madame Web were “absolutely psychotic” when they were being filmed. With this film, which is directed by SJ Clarkson, the actress takes on her first superhero project after tackling comedies and dramatic romances.
Johnson, 34, opened up about how he felt about this change of pace while also talking about using a “blue screen” for special effects in the 2024 flick:
“I’ve never really done a movie where you are on a blue screen, and there’s fake explosions going off, and someone’s going, ‘Explosion!’ and you act like there’s an explosion. That to me was absolutely psychotic. I was like, ‘I don’t know if this is going to be good at all! I hope that I did an OK job!’”
She went on to say that she and the director were in constant communication to determine which scenes were imagined by Cassandra and which ones were real:
“But I trusted [Clarkson]. She works so hard, and she has not taken her eyes off this movie since we started.”
During the conversation, the Bad Times at the El Royale actress additionally revealed that she had developed a knack for driving stunt cars when she was on set:
“I got to do a day of stunt driving work, and I’m really good at it, it seems! I mean, I can do some really wild things with a car. I drove an ambulance. I drove a taxicab. I drove everything in the movie – except for flying through the air and out of a building.”
The actress, who is renowned for her commitment to her roles and her adventurous spirit, seems to be stifled by the limitations placed on her by the production crew. Despite her annoyance, Johnson seems to have tried to make the most of the situation.
The ensemble also includes Sydney Sweeney, Mike Epps, Adam Scott, Emma Roberts, Isabela Merced, Celeste O’Connor, Tahar Rahim, and Adam Scott. Madame Web was released on February 14. Notwithstanding unfavorable reviews from critics, the film has made $52 million globally.
You can watch Madame Web in cinemas now!
