Yes, Dakota Johnson may have come from influential parents in Hollywood, and this is supposed to be like a gateway to the life she wants, right? But, she was willing to let go of her payroll just to focus on her career. It must have taken some guts for Dakota to shun financial help when she just finished high school. We are sure Dakota Johnson parents wouldn’t have seen this coming and were shocked to realize that their daughter was ready to plunge herself out there without any financial support from them.
You may call this a bold move, considering Dakota had two generations of stars in Hollywood as her family and yet chose to take no advice from them. Instead, we want to know what must have gone through Dakota’s head when her father told her no financial backup if she didn’t go to college. For Dakota, it was either she pushed through her career or nothing. She had no plans whatsoever to pursue college certificates. She just wanted to act and act. While it is true that somehow, Dakota Johnson’s parents’ names would open any door for her in the movie industry, it is her hard work and resilience that would keep her there.
Who is Dakota Johnson?
Dakota is the daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith. She was born on October 4, 1989, at Bracken Ridge Hospital in Texas. Interestingly, her father was out on the movie set when she was born. He was shooting the movie The Hot Spot in Texas. Dakota Johnson comes from a family that has a rich heritage in Hollywood, with her maternal grandparents being the famous Peter Griffith and the ageless Tippi Hedren. To show that Dakota was born in a family with a long history with moviemaking, her former stepfather is the legendary Antonio Banderas.
Growing up for Dakota was about her moving with her family as both her parents were always at a movie set in different locations. Dakota was a student of Aspen Community School before she moved to Santa Catalina School in Monterrey, California. But you would think she would finish her high school education here. Well, she didn’t, as she had to move to Santa Monica, California, where she attended New Roads School.
Dakota Johnson’s Interests Growing Up
With her family immersed in show business, Dakota became interested in modeling at age twelve. This sudden passion came after her involvement in a photoshoot for Teen Vogue. At age 14, Dakota suffered from depression and had to be rehabilitated. Spending time on sets watching your parents act must do something to anyone. For Dakota, it ignited her passion for acting. Left to her, she would have quit high school to focus on acting, but Dakota Johnson’s parents wouldn’t allow all of that. So, she finished high school and applied for Julliard in New York but was unfortunately turned down.
Dakota Johnson’s Career
Johnson made her first appearance in a movie in Crazy in Alabama. She appeared alongside her sister Stella Banderas and her mother, Melanie Griffith. Interestingly, it was directed by her stepfather, Antonio Banderas.
But it wasn’t until 2015 that she had her breakthrough playing Anastasia “Ana” Steele in the widely acclaimed erotic romantic drama Fifty Shades of Grey. It will shock you that Johnson won this role over some established actors like Danielle Panabaker, Lucy Hale, Shailene Woodley, Felicity Jones, and Elizabeth Olsen. The series received mixed reviews and gained international prominence, but she received the People’s Choice Award, BAFTA Rising Star Award for her role in the series. Johnson also received two nominations from MTV Movie and TV Awards.
Who is Dakota Johnson Parents?
The relationship between Dakota Johnson parents would make a great movie. Dakota was born to Melanie Griffith, a veteran actress, and Don Johnson, an actor, singer, and producer extraordinaire. Melanie and Griffith met sometime in the 1970s. They fell in love and dated for a while before finally walking down the aisle together. They married in 1976. Strangely, they divorced that same year. The reason for the sudden divorce remains unknown. Somehow, the couple went their separate ways and married other people. Again, just when you thought you had seen the end of the relationship with the duo, they reconnected in 1989. This incident was when they had Dakota Johnson together. Are they still together now? Haha. Yes, they divorced again in 1996. What a story!
Who is Dakota Johnson Parents? Meet Dakota’s Father, Don Johnson
Interestingly, Don Johnson has been with five women. We do not know why we had to let you know this at the onset. Anyways, Don Johnson, 72, is a singer, songwriter, actor, and producer. He is famous for his role as Sonny Crockett in the TV show Miami Vice. Don has also received a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame to testify his incredible contribution to Hollywood over the years. As we mentioned earlier, Don Johnson has had five wives, with whom he had five children; Jesse, Johnson, Dakota Johnson, Grace Johnson, Jasper Johnson, Deacon Johnson.
Who is Dakota Johnson Parents? Meet Melanie Griffith, Dakota’s Mother
On August 9, 1957, Melanie Griffith was born in New York to Tippi Hedren and Peter Griffith. She became a graduate of Hollywood Professional School at the age of 16. Griffith is a Golden Globe Award winner for her role in the 1988 movie Working Girl. Dakota’s mother has also received Golden Globe nominations for her role in Buffalo Girls, RKO 281.
Griffith has three kids –Alexander Bauer, from her marriage to Steven Bauer in 1981. Then she had Dakota Johnson from her marriage to Don Johnson and then Stella Del Carmen from her marriage to Antonio Banderas.
Why Did Dakota Johnson’s Parents Cut Her Off Financially?
In a virtual interview with Seth Meyers, Dom Johnson revealed that he cut off Dakota financially. The reason for this: In Johnson’s house, there is a ground-rule where anyone who doesn’t go to college would not receive any financial help from their parents. On the other hand, Dakota had decided that she wasn’t going to college as she wanted to concentrate on her acting career.
He explained this: “We have a rule in the family that, you know, if you stay in school, you get to stay on the payroll. So, you go to college, you get to stay on the payroll,” Johnson said. “Toward the end of high school, I went to her and I said, ‘So, do you want to go visit some colleges?’… And she was like, ‘Oh, no. I’m not going to college, no way.’ I went, ‘OK, you know what that means? You won’t be on the payroll anymore.”
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Well, Dakota accepted the rule, and three weeks from then, she got a role in David Fincher’s The Social Network film. The film earned a nomination for an Oscar Award.
Who is Her Boyfriend?
Dakota is currently in a relationship with the lead singer, pianist of the record-smashing musical band, Coldplay, Chris Martin. They have been in a relationship since 2017. There has not been any move to get married, but it looks like it is gradually getting to that stage so far.
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Conclusion
We have explained how Dakota Johnson parents stopped putting her on the payroll after she decided not to attend college. Today, Dakota has several projects to her name and owns a studio alongside ex-Netflix executive Ro Donnelly.
