Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · June 17, 2025 · Entertainment

Stars Clash: Rachel Brosnahan Takes on Dakota Johnson Over 'Madame Web' Criticisms

One year ago, Russell Crowe called out Dakota Johnson (pictured) by name for bad-mouthing her superhero box office bomb Madame Web, and now another movie star has made a thinly-veiled dig at her

SCANDAL ROCKS HOLLYWOOD: SUPERSTAR RACHEL BROSNAHAN CALLS OUT DAKOTA JOHNSON OVER HER DISASTROUS SUPERHERO MOVIE

The drama never ends in Tinseltown, folks! The latest dust-up involves none other than Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star Rachel Brosnahan, who's speaking her mind about Dakota Johnson's infamous Madame Web movie. And trust us, it gets juicy!

It all started when Dakota – yes, that's Dakota Johnson of the Materialists fame – dissed Madame Web in a recent interview. She complained about the script going through "drastic changes" and how she was just along for the ride, ultimately resulting in a lackluster film with a paltry 11% critic approval rating (ouch!).

Rachel Brosnahan (R) - who plays Lois Lane in the upcoming Superman reboot - doesn't understand 'why people say yes' to these sort of projects 'only to then turn around and complain about it'

Well, Rachel Brosnahan, who's set to star as Lois Lane in the upcoming Superman reboot, isn't having it! In an exclusive chat with Amanda Seyfried via Interview magazine, she unloaded on Dakota, saying: "Look, I don't want to s* on other actors, but there was a minute where it was cool to not like superhero movies and to look back on projects like this and pooh-pooh them. Do it or don't do it, and then stand by it."

Seyfried, also an actress, chimed in, suggesting that Dakota should just own the film instead of trashing it publicly. "I honestly don't think you should call it a superhero movie ever again, because it isn't just that, and I think people are going to see that. It's really important to have this kind of superhero, this guy who's just trying to do his best."

So, what's the tea on Dakota's Madame Web debacle? Apparently, she signed on for a project that underwent drastic changes during production, leaving her feeling like she was just along for the ride. Yikes!

The 34-year-old Marvelous Mrs. Maisel alum vented to Amanda Seyfried via Interview on Monday: 'Look, I don't want to s*** on other actors. But there was a minute where it was cool to not like superhero movies and to look back on projects like this and pooh-pooh them. Do it or don't do it, and then stand by it' (pictured June 2)

And don't even get us started on Russell Crowe, who recently clapped back at Dakota over her comments. The Oscar winner told British GQ: "These are jobs. Here's your role, play the role. If you're expecting this to be some kind of life-changing event, I just think you're here for the wrong reasons."

In related news, Dakota has been making waves in other areas, too. During a recent episode of Hot Ones, she shaded her own film once again, wisecracking: "I am also not a superhero. Tried, failed." Ouch!

Meanwhile, Rachel Brosnahan is busy preparing for her role as Lois Lane and couldn't be more thrilled to join the Superman franchise. "I've never done something that has a baked-in fan base already," she gushed. "People have such strong feelings about [Superman] and the world and whoever's in charge of it. It's cool to be a part of something that people are so passionate about. It's definitely intimidating, too."

Seyfried replied: 'I honestly don't think you should call it a superhero movie ever again, because it isn't just that, and I think people are going to see that. It's really important to have this kind superhero, this guy who's just trying to do his best' (pictured June 2)

As for what's next for Rachel, she's set to star in Apple TV+'s Presumed Innocent series, as well as Bernard Rose's King Lear adaptation Lear Rex and Halina Reijn's small-screen adaptation of Lisa Taddeo's novel Lois & Varga.

On the personal front, Rachel and her husband Jason Ralph just celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary on June 6. And let's be real, folks – with all this drama going down in Hollywood, it's nice to see some love and happiness out there!

Stay tuned for more juicy gossip and celebrity tea on thescholarlynote.com!

The 35-year-old nepo baby of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith took on the role of clairvoyant paramedic Cassandra Webb in S. J. Clarkson's movie from Sony's Spider-Man Universe, which only earned $100.5M back from its $100M budget

Madame Web also had a dismal 11% critic approval rating (out of 265 reviews) and a 53% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes

Dakota scoffed to Bustle last year: 'I had never done anything like it before. I probably will never do anything like it again because I don't make sense in that world. And I know that now. But sometimes in this industry, you sign on to something, and it's one thing and then as you're making it, it becomes a completely different thing, and you're like, '

Three months after Johnson's comments, Russell Crowe - who acted in Man of Steel and Thor: Love and Thunder (pictured) - responded in British GQ, 'You're telling me you signed up for a Marvel movie, and some f***ing universe for cartoon characters and you didn't get enough pathos?'

The 61-year-old Oscar winner continued: 'These are jobs. Here's your role, play the role. If you're expecting this to be some kind of life-changing event, I just think you're here for the wrong reasons' (pictured February 7)

Earlier this month, the Materialists actress - who claimed the scipt went through 'drastic changes' - blamed Madame Web's poor performance on the fact that 'creative decisions are made by committee' and declared: 'It wasn't my fault' (pictured June 7)

Dakota shaded the film, yet again, during last Thursday's webisode of Hot Ones after host Sean Evans told her he was 'no superhero'

Other celebs who've starred in superhero fare then publicly criticized the genre include Thor: Love and Thunder alum Christian Bale (pictured), Thor alum Anthony Hopkins, The Amazing Spider-Man alum Sally Field, Moon Knight alum Ethan Hawke, Blade alum Stephen Dorff, and Iron Man 2 alum Mickey Rourke

Meanwhile, Rachel couldn't be more thrilled to showcase her take on the pretty Daily Planet reporter previously portrayed by Amy Adams, Kate Bosworth, Erica Durance, Teri Hatcher, Margot Kidder, and Phyllis Coates

Brosnahan said: 'I've never done something that has a baked-in fan base already. People have such strong feelings about [Superman] and the world and whoever's in charge of it. It's cool to be a part of something that people are so passionate about. It's definitely intimidating, too'

The Emmy winner teased some sort of special stunt she got to perform on the set: 'I got to do a different thing, which I'm not really allowed to talk about, that didn't involve wires but felt like maybe it should have. It was nuts!'

James Gunn's $225M-budget reboot of Superman - hitting US theaters July 11 - also stars David Corenswet (M), Nicholas Hoult, Nathan Fillion, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, and Isabela Merced