Although Dakota Johnson was expected to speak about her new movie, she instead confessed that she had let her pubic hair grow. This surprise admission soon became the focus of all the discussion.
She was on the episode of Hot Ones Versus that aired on October 6 with Anne Hathaway and Josh Hartnett in order to promote Verity. Since the show follows a confession-or-consequence format, Hathaway asked Johnson to pick between eating another spicy wing or revealing an embarrassing fact. Hartnett going for the wing caused Johnson to decide to be honest.
She said that she had let her pubic hair grow, which caused Hathaway and Hartnett to laugh. When explaining why she had done it, she stated “for Madame Web, for Fifty Shades” and then added, “I don’t want to eat one of these,” in order to explain her decision.
Fans React to the Reveal
The clip spread rapidly online, with people praising Johnson for being so unfiltered. A user on X stated, “Her mouth has no filter,” and another one joked, “She says whatever pops into her head is exactly my love language.”
Others also mentioned the link with Fifty Shades of Grey. It had been reported in 2015 that computer graphics had been used to add the character’s body hair, which in turn caused further debate. As one comment stated, “Even though I thought people said they had to use CGI for the pubes.”
Many people wondered why was this confession seen as newsworthy. “Doesn’t an adult have pubic hair and is that still considered news?” asked one person. This response shows how a simple remark can overnight turn into a headline.
A Press-Tour Moment That Travels
Although Johnson has previously taken part in Hot Ones, the Versus format made a difference. On this occasion, the celebrity guests were required to either confess or to eat a further spicy wing. The mix of hot sauce, a bit of friendly pressure, and the co-stars’ mutual familiarity turned the short moment into a clip that people could share.
A moment of this kind can be of use in a film campaign since, although traditional interviews are still important, a spontaneous moment that goes viral on social media is able to reach a far greater audience. For Verity, Johnson’s appearance got people once more talking about the film and kept the atmosphere light. Hathaway and Hartnett’s laughter caused the confession to sound as if it had happened spontaneously rather than in an awkward way, and Johnson’s willingness to answer made the scene memorable.
It has not yet been established whether the viral clip will increase ticket sales, but since it was included as part of the press tour, it has given the film the kind of attention that studios desire—a funny and unexpected moment that audiences wanted to share.
