Maggie Gyllenhaal Reveals Dakota Johnson Reached Out for New Role in ‘The Lost Daughter’
Maggie Gyllenhaal made an award-winning directorial debut with her new Netflix film, The Lost Daughter. The actress spoke highly of Dakota Johnson, Gyllenhaal’s collaborator turned lifelong friend.
Maggie Gyllenhaal, the actress who starred in a handful of films over the years, has worked hard to cultivate a strong reputation as a respected actress in the industry. In October 2021, Netflix shared the first trailer to The Lost Daughter, a psychological drama that stars Academy Award Winner Olivia Colman (The Crown, The Favourite). The Lost Daughter also stars Jessie Buckley, Dagmara Domińczyk, Ed Harris, Dakota Johnson, Paul Mescal, and Peter Sarsgaard.
In an exclusive interview with People, Gyllenhaal praises Johnson’s performance as Nina, a young mother. Gyllenhaal reveals that it was Johnson herself who personally contacted her for a part in her film. The actress reveals, “Dakota reached out to me first, and I was like, ‘Huh, that’s actually kind of the most brilliant idea. And I love her in the movie.” The actress recalls a moment with Johnson telling her over a lunch meeting, “I wanna go to the bottom of the ocean — will you take me?” Gyllenhaal continues to offer praise of her friend, telling People, “I just have never seen her do anything like this, and I’m so glad that she found me.”
The Lost Daughter is based on Elena Ferrante’s 2006 novel of the same name. The film follows Leda (Olivia Colman), a professor vacationing in Greece on holiday. As Leda is on vacation, she spots Nina, (Dakota Johnson), a young mother who struggles to stay afloat. As Johnson puts it, Nina becomes the “object of Olivia Colman’s character’s obsession and curiosity.”
Maggie Gyllenhaal has delivered a memorable directorial debut. Congratulations to Gyllenhaal and the whole cast on an incredible film. The Lost Daughter is available to stream on Netflix.
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