Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal’s First Meeting: A Funny, Foggy Hollywood Mix-Up

What’s the Story Behind Their First Meeting?

Dakota Johnson, 35, and Pedro Pascal, 49, are gearing up to play love interests in Materialists, a Celine Song-directed rom-com hitting theaters June 13, 2025. But their real-life first encounter, as they discussed in a May 15, 2025, Elle UK interview, was anything but romantic. Pascal kicked things off by asking, “Dakota, when and where did we first meet?” Johnson shot back, “According to whose truth? Do you want your story or my story?” That set the tone for a hilarious debate. Pascal insists they met at the Golden Globes after-party in January 2014, an HBO bash where he was flying solo, no plus-one, and bonded with Johnson through mutual friend Sarah Paulson. “We banded together, and we looked after you,” he said, noting her parents, Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, were likely there.

Johnson, however, draws a blank. “That’s so crazy that I don’t remember meeting you there,” she said, joking she’s “blocking it out” like some traumatic event. She thought their first meeting was at the Met Gala, possibly years later, where Pascal felt snubbed. “I didn’t think you were that nice to me at the Met Gala,” he teased, saying he felt “stupid” because she didn’t remember him. Johnson blamed the Met’s “Twilight Zone” vibe, where everyone’s too overwhelmed to connect. “This is maybe the 37th time we’ve had this conversation,” she fired back, laughing about how Pascal keeps guilting her. X posts captured the buzz, with @BuzzFeedUK on May 17, 2025, calling it “painfully awkward” and @bestofjohnsons quoting her saying, “My first impression of you was: ‘Wow, this guy is so cool. What a nice man that I’ve definitely never met before.’” Despite the foggy start, their Elle chat and Materialists set photos show they’re tight now, even attending a Stevie Nicks concert together.

Why This First Meeting Matters

First impressions stick, especially in Hollywood, where connections can make or break careers. Johnson and Pascal’s mix-up is a relatable reminder that even stars mess up initial encounters. Their story, shared in a public interview, shows how friendships can grow from awkward moments if you work at it. For Johnson, forgetting Pascal could’ve been a missed chance to bond with a rising star—Pascal was on Game of Thrones in 2014, not yet The Last of Us famous. For Pascal, feeling ignored at the Met Gala stung, but he didn’t hold a grudge, which paid off in their Materialists chemistry. Fans on X are eating it up, with @TheLueCrew on May 16, 2025, linking to a BuzzFeed piece about Johnson’s memory lapse, proving this story’s got legs.

This matters because first meetings set the tone for relationships, professional or personal. In Hollywood, where networking is king, a bad first impression can close doors. Johnson’s Met Gala coldness could’ve alienated Pascal, but their mutual friends and later work together fixed it. Their story also highlights how memory plays tricks—Johnson’s “block out” quip might be a joke, but stress or distraction at events like the Golden Globes can blur details. For fans, this peek into their dynamic builds hype for Materialists, where they play a matchmaker (Johnson) and a wealthy bachelor (Pascal) in a love triangle with Chris Evans. Their real-life rapport, from set kisses to post-wrap dinners, suggests the film’s chemistry will pop.

When and How to Handle First Meetings

First meetings happen everywhere—parties, work, even random events like the Golden Globes. Johnson and Pascal’s story shows timing and context matter. The 2014 Golden Globes after-party was a high-energy HBO event, likely packed with stars and chaos. Johnson, then 24 and fresh off The Social Network, was probably overwhelmed, especially with parents like Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith in tow. Pascal, 38 and on Game of Thrones’ fourth season, was less known and sans plus-one, making him more open to mingling. The Met Gala, likely 2015 or later, is even crazier—Johnson called it a “Twilight Zone,” where you’re rushed through crowds and can’t connect. No wonder she blanked.

To nail a first meeting:

• Be present: Focus on the person, not the event’s chaos. Johnson admitted the Met Gala’s vibe made her distant, which Pascal read as cold.
• Introduce clearly: Pascal met Johnson through Sarah Paulson, which helped, but he still felt forgotten. Saying your name and a quick context (“I’m Pedro, we met at the Globes”) can jog memories.
• Follow up: If it’s a good meeting, like Pascal’s Globes chat, reach out later—text, social media, whatever. He didn’t, and Johnson forgot him.
• Laugh it off: Pascal teased Johnson about the Met snub but didn’t sulk. Their Elle banter shows humor fixes awkwardness.
• Reconnect: They rebuilt through Materialists and mutual friends. If a first meeting flops, try again in a calmer setting.

Johnson and Pascal eventually got it right, bonding on set and at events like a Stevie Nicks concert, per 24newshd.tv. Their Materialists wrap dinner in June 2024, where Johnson kissed Pascal’s cheek, shows they’re past the awkward phase.

Common Mistakes They Made

Johnson and Pascal’s first meeting went sideways for reasons anyone could fumble:

• Not locking in details: Johnson didn’t register meeting Pascal at the Globes, likely distracted by the event or her parents. Big events can overload you, but noting a name or face helps.
• Assuming familiarity: Pascal thought Johnson remembered him at the Met Gala, building the interaction on a past meeting she forgot. That made him feel “stupid,” per Jezebel. Always check if someone recalls you.
• Being distant: Johnson’s Met Gala coldness wasn’t mean, but Pascal felt it. In hectic settings, a quick smile or acknowledgment goes far.
• Not following up: Neither reached out post-Globes. A text like “Great meeting you at the HBO party” could’ve cemented the connection.
• Overthinking it: Johnson’s “37th time” jab suggests Pascal kept bringing up her memory lapse, which could’ve soured things if they weren’t friends now.

These slip-ups are common in high-pressure settings like Hollywood parties, where everyone’s juggling egos and distractions. Johnson’s youth and Pascal’s lesser fame in 2014 didn’t help. X posts, like @DJNewsBRA on May 15, 2025, highlight their different truths, showing how memory gaps spark confusion.

What Happens If You Don’t Fix a Bad First Impression?

A botched first meeting can haunt you. In Hollywood, where relationships drive projects, Johnson forgetting Pascal could’ve meant missing Materialists. If Pascal held a grudge over the Met Gala snub, their chemistry might’ve tanked, hurting the film. Materialists, shot in New York from April to June 2024, relies on their spark—set photos of them kissing and laughing prove they clicked. A bad first impression left unfixed could’ve cost them roles or friendships, especially since mutual pal Sarah Paulson connected them.

Outside Hollywood, a bad first impression can kill job prospects or social ties. A 2018 CareerBuilder survey found 70% of employers form an opinion of candidates within 10 minutes, and 44% won’t hire based on a poor first meeting. Socially, if you come off cold, like Johnson did, people might not give you a second chance. If you don’t address it—say, by apologizing or reconnecting—you’re stuck with the label. Pascal felt “stupid” but didn’t write Johnson off, which let them rebuild. If he’d ghosted her, they wouldn’t be joking about it now or starring in a film that’s got X buzzing, with @pipevicioso on May 15, 2025, sharing their Elle chat.

How to Fix a Bad First Impression

Johnson and Pascal’s story shows how to recover from a rocky start:

• Own it: Johnson admitted in Elle she didn’t remember Pascal, laughing it off. Acknowledging a flub, even years later, clears the air.
• Use humor: Pascal teased her about feeling “stupid” but kept it light, which let them bond over the awkwardness.
• Reconnect later: They didn’t fix it in 2014, but working on Materialists gave them a fresh start. Shared projects or friends, like Paulson, can rebuild ties.
• Be warm next time: Johnson’s Met Gala coldness hurt, but her warmth on set—kissing Pascal’s cheek post-wrap, per Daily Mail—showed she’s not aloof.
• Talk it out: Their Elle interview let them hash out the timeline publicly, turning a private fumble into a fun story fans love.

They also benefited from time and context. By 2024, Pascal was a Last of Us star, and Johnson was a rom-com draw after Fifty Shades. Their Materialists roles—her as matchmaker Lucy, him as wealthy Randy—forced close collaboration, and off-set moments, like the Stevie Nicks concert, sealed their friendship. 24newshd.tv noted their “close rapport,” which fans see in X posts like @loving50shades on May 14, 2025, detailing their Globes story.

Why Their Story Resonates

This first-meeting saga clicks because it’s human. Johnson’s memory lapse and Pascal’s hurt feelings are things anyone’s felt at a party or work event. Their ability to laugh about it now, in a high-profile Elle interview, shows how to move past gaffes. It’s also a peek into Hollywood’s social maze—stars aren’t immune to awkward moments, even at glitzy events like the Golden Globes. The 2014 HBO party, post-Globes, was likely a star-studded blur, and Johnson, young and new to fame, missing Pascal’s intro is relatable. Pascal’s persistence in joking about it, per Cinemablend on May 17, 2025, makes him endearing.

For Materialists fans, this story amps up excitement. The film, shot in New York with a $12-million-apartment backdrop, leans on their chemistry. Johnson’s Lucy is torn between Pascal’s Randy and Chris Evans’ ex, John. If their real-life bond was strained, the film’s steamy scenes—like their on-set kiss, per Reddit’s r/Pedro_Pascal—might’ve flopped. Instead, X posts like @DJNewsBRA on May 15, 2025, quote Pascal saying he “loved” Johnson from the start, hyping their dynamic.

Wrapping It Up

Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal’s first meeting is a chaotic, funny tale they can’t pin down. Pascal swears it was the 2014 Golden Globes after-party, where he met a distracted Johnson through Sarah Paulson. She’s blanked it out, thinking they met at the Met Gala, where she accidentally iced him. Their Elle UK chat on May 15, 2025, turned the mix-up into a fan-favorite story, with X posts like @BuzzFeedOz calling it “painfully awkward.” First impressions matter—Johnson’s lapse could’ve cost a friendship or Materialists’ spark—but their humor and reconnection fixed it. Messing up a first meeting can tank relationships or jobs, but owning it, laughing, and trying again can save the day. Keep an eye on Materialists June 13, 2025, to see their chemistry shine, and maybe double-check who you met at that last party.