Musician Tucker Pillsbury, known professionally as Role Model, has publicly acknowledged his relationship with actress Dakota Johnson for the first time. The confirmation comes eight months after the couple were first photographed together in December 2025. Johnson, who gained widespread recognition for her role in the Fifty Shades of Grey film series, also features on Pillsbury’s new album, Chuck Timely & The Hourglass, on a track titled “Love I You.”
The Musical Collaboration
Role Model, whose real name is Tucker Pillsbury, explained to Rolling Stone that the decision to include Johnson on his song stemmed from a need for a female voice on the bridge. Initially, he expressed reservations about mixing his professional and personal lives, a sentiment he shared during the interview.
“We had had a list of ideas for people, and [producer] Mason [Stoops] kept bringing up, you know, ‘Why doesn’t Dakota do it?'” Pillsbury recounted. “And I was always like, ‘Well, I don’t… I think keeping those things separate is probably good,’ and blah, blah, blah. And then one day he convinced her and I was just like, ‘Yeah, let’s try it’, and it was amazing.”
He further elaborated on the experience, stating, “Her voice was perfect on it.” Pillsbury acknowledged that the collaboration would likely spark online discussion but emphasized its personal significance. “It made the song really special to me, and what a cool cameo to have, too.”
Lyrics and On-Screen Chemistry
The song “Love I You” features a playful, flirty exchange between Role Model and Dakota Johnson. The lyrical content includes lines like Pillsbury starting with, “Hey, I think you’re perfect,” to which Johnson responds, “You say that to everyone.” The conversation continues with Pillsbury asking, “Kay, well, is it working?” and Johnson replying, “Yeah, but don’t tell anyone.” Later in the track, Johnson adds, “Oh, you think you’re big time?” followed by, “Oh, you’re Mr Big Night.”
A Deliberately Private Romance
The couple has maintained a low profile regarding their relationship, which has reportedly been ongoing for several months. They made a public appearance together in March at a Los Angeles show during Paul McCartney’s farewell tour. Both Pillsbury and Johnson are known for their discretion concerning their personal lives.
In a previous interview with Nylon, Role Model discussed his approach to privacy, stating his intention to keep his music career and love life distinctly separate. “Keeping things about music is what I’ve learned. Otherwise, the internet just has a field day. Everyone’s a detective,” he told the publication.
Pillsbury’s Approach to Relationships
The 29-year-old artist also shared his cautious outlook on romance. “I expect the worst-case scenario, always,” he explained. “I wouldn’t change that about myself. I think it’s good to have those questions and not just be diving headfirst into things based on attraction or a first date going well.” This perspective suggests a thoughtful and measured approach to forming romantic connections.
Past Relationships and Public Scrutiny
Dakota Johnson has historically guarded her relationships, including her notable, albeit private, eight-year on-again, off-again relationship with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, which spanned from 2017 to 2025. Throughout that period, the couple rarely appeared together at industry events and made only infrequent, understated references to each other in public forums.
Similarly, Role Model’s past relationship with internet personality Emma Chamberlain also largely remained out of the public eye, with only occasional joint appearances. Their relationship, which lasted from 2020 to 2023, reportedly ended partly due to Pillsbury’s intense feelings of homesickness.
Reasons for Past Breakup
Pillsbury spoke about the challenges of his relationship with Chamberlain on the Zach Sang Show in 2024. He cited profound homesickness as a significant factor in their separation. “That was the biggest thing – I just became the most homesick I’ve been in my life,” he stated.
He described experiencing a “weird quarter-life crisis” during that period, leading him to question various aspects of his life. Pillsbury admitted to frequently returning home, creating distance without a clear explanation for his partner. “I just wanted to go home and be with my friends and family and have some normalcy. I think that would be very confusing for the other person. Like, ‘Why are you running away from me?'” he reflected, acknowledging the potential confusion his actions may have caused.
The confirmation of his relationship with Dakota Johnson, coupled with their musical collaboration, marks a notable step in Pillsbury’s willingness to share a facet of his personal life, albeit within the context of his artistic endeavors.
