Taylor Swift likes Dakota Johnson’s style. On Wednesday (April 15), TIME unveiled its “100 most influential people” list featuring the actress, paired with a thoughtful tribute the pop star penned in her friend’s honor.
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Calling Johnson’s career “fascinatingly varied and eclectic,” Swift began her blurb by writing that “everyone is still getting to know Dakota.”
“It seems the more they learn, the more there is to fall in love with,” the 14-time Grammy winner continued. “In recent years, as she’s promoted her films, the name Dakota Johnson has become synonymous with refreshing honesty in a world of media-trained answers. Maybe it’s her sing-song vocal delivery, serenely answering questions with such frank candor it makes you feel like maybe this girl just … can’t lie?!”
“As her friend, I can vouch for her realness, but add that she’s also one of the most empathetic people I’ve ever known,” Swift continued. “And maybe it’s true that she can’t lie. But I’ll tell you a few more things she can’t do. She can’t stop asking people questions about their lives, endlessly curious about everyone else’s human experience.”
The hitmaker also shouted out Johnson for starting her own production company, TeaTime Pictures, and for “exploring the most intricate relationship complexities” in films such as Splitsville and Materialists. “Captivating in front of the screen and inquisitive behind it, her unfailing truthfulness helps to shape her ever evolving storytelling into art that feels as real and timeless as she is,” she added.
As Swift pointed out, the Hollywood star has been in the industry since young adulthood — but her breakout role was as leading lady Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise. In 2017, the Eras Tour headliner teamed up with Zayn Malik to create “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” for the second film in the series, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The two women have been friends for years, and in May 2025, Johnson stepped out for dinner with Swift in New York City shortly after the the pop superstar announced that she’d purchased her master recordings.
Other artists on this year’s TIME100 list are JENNIE of BLACKPINK, Luke Combs and Noah Kahan, whose blurbs were written by fellow stars Gracie Abrams, Ed Sheeran and Marcus Mumford, respectively.
