Dakota Johnson's blunt red flag: Men who wear flip-flops in public—run.
In Vogue’s Questions series on YouTube, the 36-year-old actress was asked if she has any red flags. Her answer was blunt: flip-flops in public. This reply arrived just four months after reports that she ended her engagement to Coldplay frontman Chris Martin after nearly eight years together, with the split publicly confirmed in June 2025. Martin is known for going barefoot in public, a quirk Johnson once tolerated as they were photographed strolling barefoot in 2019 and again in 2022.
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Eight-year romance ends in a split after a secret engagement
Johnson and Martin began dating after his 2015 divorce from Gwyneth Paltrow; they were linked in 2017 and quietly became engaged years later. In June 2025, reports surfaced that they had decided to part ways after nearly a decade together; a Daily Mail source said their relationship had been over for a long time and they couldn't figure out how to make it official. The insider added that Johnson loved him and loved his kids Apple (21) and Moses (19); she was devastated to be around them as little as before, but wants them to know she would always be there for them. The pair's split has prompted speculation about any future reconciliation, though separation could help if there is to be any future together.
The barefoot magnet and other red flags
Martin’s reputation for going barefoot in public is well known. Johnson and Martin were photographed enjoying barefoot strolls in Malibu in 2019 and again in 2022. There were reports of trouble in August 2024, but a representative later confirmed they were still together. A brief rumored split in 2019 over having children was followed by a reconciliation, illustrating how their relationship weathered public scrutiny.
Nepo-baby roots and Hollywood lineage
Johnson is the daughter of Oscar-winners Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, with grandmother Tippi Hedren and stepfather Antonio Banderas. She grew up on set and was surrounded by people who made movies. She explained that celebrities often intrigued and frightened her family’s privacy, and that life in the spotlight is different from the lives of her peers.
Public life, fear and resilience: a nepo baby’s journey
In a Vogue Germany interview, Johnson reflected on growing up as the daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith. She described moments when fans and photographers would be aggressive toward her mother in public, and she said, 'This is what we do. It’s in our blood.' Johnson credited her mother for teaching her how to care for her body and to love her appearance, a gift that helped her feel confident wearing sexy red-carpet attire. She began modeling at 18 with IMG after signing with the William Morris Agency for acting, following her mother’s example and support.
