Dakota Johnson Reveals What She Learned About Herself From Starring in 'Fifty Shades'

Dakota Johnson looks absolutely stunning in Allure‘s February 2018 “New Naked” issue, on newsstands January 23.

Here’s what the 28-year-old actress had to share with the mag:

On what starring in the Fifty Shades franchise has taught her: “Fundamentally, I’m open and warm. At my core, I’m a bleeding heart. But when your life is exposed and when the movie that exposes your life is exposing your emotions and your body, it can be very scary. Throughout this entire experience, I’ve learned that I can expose my heart and my emotions and I can still protect myself. I can still be vulnerable and strong. It’s a constant ebb and flow and a battle and trying to figure out how to have those things coexist within me. That’s what I’m grateful for.”

On finding solace in her work: “I don’t know how to explain it in a way that doesn’t sound hokey, but when I’m on a project, I’m on it for a certain reason, and I’m involved with the people for a reason, and it’s always some sort of weird marriage to something that’s happening in my life, or the character has some connection to something that’s going on [in my life].”

On her close working relationship with acclaimed director Luca Guadagnino, who cast her in his 2015 film A Bigger Splash: “We talk almost every day. It’s constantly creating and thinking of what we’re going to do next, how we’re going to evolve…what’s the next thing we’re going to try to accomplish?”

For more from Dakota, visit Allure.com.