Dakota Johnson and Machine Gun Kelly (MGK) were photographed during an evening out with friends at the Sunset Tower Hotel in Los Angeles on Wednesday, 11 November. Separately, an X user compared the musician unfavourably with Johnson's former partner, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, in a remark questioning her public image.
'From Chris Martin of Coldplay to this guy? Wake up Dakota, your brand is sinking....' Just Ask Chloe (@BetterThanTexts) wrote in a supplied screenshot. The criticism framed Johnson's association with MGK as a step down from her previous relationship.
Dakota Johnson went from Chris Martin to MGK. The downgrade is insane😭😭 pic.twitter.com/qPjlQPQlXx
— chhavi💫 (@abeyarrrrrr) November 13, 2026
Dakota Johnson and MGK's Sunset Tower Dinner
Johnson and MGK spent the evening with two friends at The Tower Bar & Restaurant. A photograph showed him holding her hand as he helped her down a flight of stairs.
The group settled into a corner booth, where they shared food and drinks. A source quoted by People described Johnson and MGK leaning towards each other and occasionally nuzzling during the evening.
Their time together has also included visits to his workplace. A source describing their connection in late October said Johnson had been going to the studio with him while he worked. 'They haven't put a label on their relationship yet, they are just seeing where spending time together will take them,' one insider said.
Earlier November Outings
On 3 November, Johnson and MGK were photographed outside a restaurant in Calabasas, wearing black leather jackets and appearing to share a laugh. Two days later, Johnson attended a Khaite party in Los Angeles. MGK was photographed walking down the street after having dinner with her at Dan Tana's restaurant in West Hollywood.
Dakota Johnson and MGK spotted leaving a recording studio in LA together around 2:40 a.m. following a late night session 📸@BackgridUS pic.twitter.com/CBcJBhaKiU
— deuxmoi (@deuxmoiworld) November 12, 2026
Their time together has also included visits to his workplace. A source describing their connection in late October said Johnson had been going to the studio with him while he worked. Another insider said they shared a dry, dark sense of humour and made each other laugh.
Chris Martin Comparison Follows a Long Relationship
Johnson and Martin were first romantically linked in 2017. Their on-and-off relationship lasted nearly eight years before their separation became public in June 2025. They had been engaged for years but never married. In March 2024, a source said they were in 'no rush to get married.' Multiple sources subsequently confirmed their breakup in June 2025.
From Chris Martin of Coldplay to this guy? Wake up Dakota, your brand is sinking....
— Just Ask Chloe (@BetterThanTexts) November 12, 2026
The X user's reference to Martin draws on that long relationship, but the post offered no explanation for preferring him to MGK beyond its pointed wording. Nor did it identify a professional development supporting the claim about Johnson's 'brand.'
Dakota Johnson's Career Beyond Acting
Johnson has built a career behind the camera as well as on screen. She co-founded TeaTime Pictures with Ro Donnelly, bringing film development and production into her work alongside acting.
The company's projects include Cha Cha Real Smooth, Am I OK?, and Daddio. Its slate also extends beyond feature films to the documentary The Disappearance of Shere Hite and the television series Slip.
Johnson's acting credits include Celine Song's Materialists and Michael Angelo Covino's Splitsville. On Splitsville, she took on both acting and producing duties, with TeaTime among the companies behind the film. It premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
She has also moved into directing. Her short film Loser Baby premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, adding a festival-screened directing project to her acting and production credits.
Her directing work also includes Coldplay's 'Cry Cry Cry' music video, a separate collaboration with the band fronted by Martin.
