Thriving at 30

In life, love and work, everything’s as it should be for this gifted gal

- JESSICA MULTARI

Life gets better after 30, so the story goes. And for Dakota Johnson, who farewelled her 20s in October, that’s bang-on. Not that she hasn’t been all kinds of goals (beauty, brains, bangs!) since we first became (very well) acquainted with her after a steamy debut in Fifty Shades of Grey.

But right now, the actress is in a very good place – both professionally, as the star of critically acclaimed flicks, and personally, as Chris Martin’s other half. She’s even won over the Coldplay frontman’s ex Gwyneth Paltrow, who ‘just adores’ her.

It’s true, there’s much to love about this rare It girl. A sought-after actress, Dakota is also a reluctant celebrity who once described fame as ‘an incessant mosquito noise’. Her aversion to fame not only speaks to her girl-next-door charm – ‘I’m a homebody… I’d rather be at home with my close friends or alone, than being in public’ – but explains her career trajectory, too. It’s been five years since Anastasia Steele was first ushered into Mr Grey’s office in one of the highest-grossing R-rated films ever. An overnight success (a decade in the making IRL), Dakota set about proving she was capable of far more than simulated sex scenes.