Dakota Johnson is no stranger to taking risks. From her starring role in the Fifty Shades series of movies or her joking about kissing many women during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to prepare for a role, the actress is clearly not afraid to roll the dice on new ventures. However, if PETA is to be believed, the actor’s most compromising position might be her recent starring role in an ad campaign for Gucci. Johnson was recently named ambassador for Gucci’s Jackie 1961 series of handbags, and according to the animal rights group, some of the bags are made from authentic reptile skins.
TMZ reports that the Suspira star became the focus of the nonprofit’s ire when she began modeling the iconic handbags from the House of Gucci. PETA claims a couple of the bags Dakota Johnson is seen modeling are made from authentic python and crocodile skins. The campaign did not sit right with the animal rights organizations, so they sent a hotly-worded letter (which you can read in full) to inform and reprimand the actress. The Celebrity Outreach Principal, Jessica Shotorbani, also asked Johnson to “pledge” to stop modeling the bags that use exotic animal skins in their production. Trigger warning for discussions of animal cruelty; you can read part of the letter below:
PETA Asia recently investigated an Indonesian slaughterhouse that supplies skins to Gucci, and the finding were horrific. Workers were caught on camera bashing reptiles in the head with machetes and hacking at their necks up to 14 times before they were decapitated for their skin… Gucci’s use of exotic skins and your promotion of its products are extremely damaging. Please, may we hear from you today that you’ll pledge to stop wearing and promoting exotic-skin fashion items?
PETA went into detail about how poachers ‘invade’ the homes of exotic snakes, sometimes nailing them to trees and skinning them alive before tossing them into a pile to die. The group also took issue with the star’s social media presence, where she often expresses support for social issues advocacy. PETA was quick to remind Johnson that the killing of snakes is “so cruel” that in California, it is illegal to purchase the bags she is endorsing.
Gucci isn’t shy about how they make their product line. In the advertisement copy on their website, they write, ‘from distinct styles in crocodile to new favorites in python - Beloved lines like the GG Marmont, Dionysus, Gucci Horsebit 1955 and more are given refined canvases.’
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is known for being very vocal regarding animal rights, especially in relation to high-profile projects, companies, and celebrities. Most recently, the animal rights group took issue with Steven Spielberg and his team for using a real monkey in The Fabelmans, demanding the scene in question be removed. They were up in arms in 2020 when the Netflix series The Tiger King became a social media phenomenon. The group released a statement that read, ‘Anybody who poses with an exotic cat is a problem, and that just drives more and more and more breeding of these cats who will never live free.’
At this time, Dakota Johnson and her representatives have not responded to PETA, and it’s unclear if they will. If there are any updates, CinemaBlend will make sure to inform you.
If you have a Netflix subscription, you can stream Dakota Johnson’s most recent project, Netflix’s Jane Austen adaptation of Persuasion. She will also appear in the upcoming Marvel movie Madam Web.
