Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson Discuss the Iconic Headboard Scene in ‘Verity’

Colleen Hoover has a knack for transforming small, quirky details into cultural phenomena. A single line from her 2018 novel has sparked years of discussion among readers and has now made its way to the big screen.

The Amazon MGM Studios adaptation of ‘Verity’ has topped the domestic box office, raking in $32.6 million from 3,510 North American locations. While critics have been less than enthusiastic, giving it a 34% score, audiences have embraced it. The film follows Dakota Johnson’s character, Lowen, a struggling novelist who is hired to ghostwrite a popular series after its author, Verity, portrayed by Anne Hathaway, becomes incapacitated. Lowen moves into Verity’s home and finds herself entangled with her husband, Jeremy, played by Josh Hartnett.

This is where one of the most talked-about props in recent cinematic history comes into play, and it’s not related to the plot twists.

@amazonmgmstudiosca Bite me. Verity – only in theatres October 2. #VerityFilm ♬ original sound – Amazon MGM Studios CA

Hathaway and Johnson shared with Entertainment Weekly the surprisingly technical process behind the bite marks on a wooden bed frame. Hathaway explained that the prop needed to resemble a real bed while still being soft enough to bite into. Johnson humorously summarized their efforts, saying it involved just the two of them on separate days, “gnawing on wood.”

The task was not without its challenges. Johnson was particularly concerned about making the scene look sexy without risking her teeth. Hathaway revealed on the Australian podcast The Spill that the prop was made of balsa wood, and both she and director Michael Showalter brought their own versions of the bite to a meeting for comparison.

Showalter’s demonstration didn’t go as planned, with Hathaway recalling that she told him his bite resembled someone eating a sandwich. Ultimately, they collaborated to find a suitable approach.

Hartnett, whose character is involved in these scenes, had a less demanding role. He told Entertainment Weekly that he was able to leave while his co-stars worked on the bite marks. He later joked about seeing various headboard pieces on the prop table, each with different bite marks, teasing the actresses about their time spent on each one.

For Hathaway, the detail was essential. She told E! News that she never imagined she would be biting a headboard on camera, laughing that it was just another Tuesday for her.

Hoover mentioned that when she wrote the bite marks into the book, she had no idea the moment would become so iconic or that it would feature on the film’s promotional merchandise. Movie theaters are now selling memorabilia that showcases the bite marks to celebrate the film’s release.

The bite marks are just one aspect of the film’s allure. Showalter has described creating an erotic psychological thriller as a lifelong aspiration, drawing inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock and ’80s and ’90s erotic thrillers.

The film has also had a strong debut for the studio, earning an estimated $62.5 million worldwide, marking the second-best opening for a Colleen Hoover adaptation, following ‘It Ends With Us,’ all on a modest $40 million budget.

Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett star in an all-new trailer for #Verity. In theaters October 2. https://t.co/niq02J5nO5

— Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 (@RottenTomatoes) August 11, 2026

For a film centered on forbidden desire and a trail of ominous clues, the most unforgettable detail is the one that required a table of test props and a lot of careful chewing. Sometimes, the sexiest moments on screen demand the most practical effort off it.

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