Celebrity Celebrity Family Celebrity Family Dynamics Dakota Johnson Recalls 'Healthy' Sex Talks with Mom Melanie Griffith: 'At Times Maybe Too Open' "It made me feel like I was allowed to discover my sexuality on my own," the actress said By Benjamin VanHoose Benjamin VanHoose Benjamin VanHoose is an Associate Editor on the Movies team at PEOPLE. He has written about entertainment and breaking news for over five years. People Editorial Guidelines Published on March 5, 2024 05:00PM EST Dakota Johnson and Melanie Griffith. Photo: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Boat Rocker & TeaTime Pictures Dakota Johnson grew up having open and honest conversations with her mom Melanie Griffith about sex. The Madame Web actress, now 34, told Bustle about the "healthy" dialogue about the birds and the bees she had with Griffith, 66, growing up. "I was lucky that I grew up with a mom who was very open — at times maybe too open — about sexuality," said Johnson. "But it was always like, 'Whatever you’re into and when you want to have sex, you just let me know and we’ll get birth control.' " "It was really healthy, and it made me feel like I was allowed to discover my sexuality on my own, which I think is such a gift," she added. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Dakota Johnson. Dave Benett/WireImage Dakota Johnson Opens Up About Being Stepmom to Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow's Teenagers: 'Love Those Kids' When asked what she thinks a "sexually well person looks like," Johnson replied, "I don’t know if there’s such a thing as a sexually well person. Maybe the idea is someone who really embraces their own sexuality, whatever that is. Or even the idea of acknowledging that you have shame around your sexuality or shame around your desires." The star also told Bustle that in her blended Hollywood family, "no one’s hiding anything." "I think because I grew up in it, it’s come more naturally, but I wouldn’t have it any other way really. I really wouldn’t. I love it. It feels very honest. It feels really authentic," she said. When it comes to her and her siblings, "No matter how f---ed up it is, or who’s in rehab, or who’s not speaking to whom, or who’s divorcing whom, we’re family. And we are always going to be a family. It’s really real." Melanie Griffith and Dakota Johnson in 2004. Enos Solomon/FilmMagic Dakota Johnson Found the Nepo Baby Controversy 'Incredibly Annoying and Boring': 'Write About Something Else' "And most of us are artists. Even in my adult life and my new family, most of us are artists. Even the kids, they’re extraordinarily talented people. So you just are dealing with complex people," said Johnson. "You grow and you embrace and you say, 'F--- you and f--- off,' and then 'I love you, come back.' " Though Johnson and Griffith were transparent about sexuality in her upbringing, Griffith told reporters back in 2015 that she wouldn't watch her daughter in the R-rated Fifty Shades of Grey. "She would be very uncomfortable if I saw it, and I would be very uncomfortable if I saw it. So we would never be able to talk about it, so why would I see it?" the Working Girl actress said at the time, adding that she was "so happy" Johnson got the role. Added Griffith, “Would you want to see your child having sex like that? Just regular sex, I couldn’t even do that, but the ‘room of pain’ sex? I definitely couldn’t do that."