Swift Praises Dakota Johnson
Taylor Swift wrote a short TIME100 tribute praising Dakota Johnson’s honesty and empathy, calling her friendship ‘refreshing’ in published remarks. Billboard ran Swift’s comments as part of the TIME100 coverage and entertainment outlets echoed the sentiment. (billboard.com) (eonline.com)
Taylor Swift used a new TIME100 tribute to praise Dakota Johnson’s honesty, empathy and “realness” as Johnson joined the magazine’s 2026 list on April 15. (time.com) In the essay, Swift wrote that Johnson has become known for “refreshing honesty in a world of media-trained answers” and said, “As her friend, I can vouch for her realness.” (time.com) Swift also described Johnson as “one of the most empathetic people I’ve ever known” and said the actress is “endlessly curious about everyone else’s human experience.” (time.com) TIME released its 2026 “100 Most Influential People” list on Wednesday, April 15, placing Johnson in the Artists section and pairing her entry with Swift’s tribute. Billboard published Swift’s remarks the same day as part of its TIME100 coverage. (time.com) (billboard.com) The tribute also pointed to Johnson’s work behind the camera. Swift cited TeaTime Pictures, Johnson’s production company, and named “Splitsville” and “Materialists” as examples of the relationship stories Johnson has been exploring in recent projects. (time.com) The piece offered a rare public description of the women’s friendship. E! reported that Swift and Johnson have mostly kept that relationship private even as they have been photographed at dinners and outings with mutual celebrity friends since 2016. (eonline.com) Billboard tied the tribute to a longer public history between the two. The outlet noted that Johnson was seen dining with Swift in New York City in May 2025, shortly after Swift announced she had bought back her master recordings. (billboard.com) Johnson has also referenced Swift in public before. While hosting Saturday Night Live in 2024, Johnson joked that Swift, not Donald Trump, was “the most powerful person in America” after a photo from the show’s 40th anniversary special appeared on screen. (eonline.com) Swift closed the TIME piece by saying Johnson’s “unfailing truthfulness” shapes “art that feels as real and timeless as she is,” turning a list entry into a concise public endorsement from one of pop music’s biggest stars. (time.com)
