Dakota Johnson to Make Directorial Debut with Feature on Autism, Written by Vanessa Burghardt

May 19, 2025: Dakota Johnson is set to step behind the camera for her feature directorial debut, bringing to life a deeply personal script penned by actress Vanessa Burghardt, known for her breakout role in Cha Cha Real Smooth. The announcement was made during the Kering Women in Motion conversation event at the Cannes Film Festival, where Johnson appeared alongside her producing partner Ro Donnelly from TeaTime Pictures.

The untitled project centers around a young woman with autism and is based on Burghardt’s original script. Johnson expressed a strong emotional connection to the story and Burghardt, who played her daughter in Cha Cha Real Smooth. “She’s an autistic actress and musician, and a brilliant person,” Johnson said. “We’ve been working on developing a script she wrote, and it’s really special. I feel very protective of her and her story… I just don’t think I could allow anyone else to direct it.”

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Johnson previously directed the short film Loser Baby, which premiered at TIFF in 2023. The short, focused on queer friendships and identity in Los Angeles, was intended as a proof of concept for a series but ultimately didn’t get picked up. “Nobody wanted to make it,” Johnson said, expressing frustration at the lack of interest in what she sees as a vital and global conversation.

Currently, Johnson is in Cannes for the premiere of Splitsville, directed by Michael Angelo Covino, which she co-produced and stars in. The film follows her character navigating an open relationship while helping a friend through heartbreak.

During the conversation, Johnson also spoke about her “no a__hole” policy at TeaTime Pictures, emphasizing the importance of energy and mutual respect on set. “The way we build our sets is really vibe-based,” she said. “I love every person that works on the set.”

Looking ahead, Johnson has a packed slate. She’ll appear in Celine Song’s upcoming romantic drama Materialists this June, opposite Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans. In 2026, she’s set to star in the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestseller Verity, directed by Michael Showalter.