Men are afraid to ask Dakota Johnson out because of her portrayal as a college graduate in the 2015 erotic romance drama film Fifty Shades of Grey, in which she has a sadomasochistic relationship with a young business mogul.

According to the Daily Mirror, the 26-year-old actress has been single since she broke up with Drowners musician Matt Hitt last year and is concerned that men do not approach her due to her participation in the film.

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She told the Daily Mirror about the graphic S&M sequences in the film: “Some people think this is something I’m interested in, in my private life, which is not the case.

“I’m an actor, I pretend. But I guess it’s something that happens with a lot of actors; people think that, in real life, they are like the characters they play.”

She told The Mirror that as a result, she sometimes feels lonely, “My life has changed dramatically.

“There are times that I feel lonely, but then I just watch movies and read books and I’m happy that I have the time to do those things. I cherish my solitude.

“Luckily I have such a distraction in my job, I don’t think about men very often. All of my focus is on my job at the moment.”

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Dakota, who appears in the upcoming film How To Be Solitary, believes it is critical for women to embrace their single lives.

She said: “It’s important for young women to know it’s OK to explore the world and yourself without the pressures of other people’s opinion on you.

“There’s less of a stigma on being single nowadays… women should love themselves and take care of their hearts and brains, and also not feel bad about going out and having a good time or experiencing different people.

She went on: “There shouldn’t be a stigma on women sleeping with men.”