Did Dakota Johnson’s Parents Inspire Her To Take On Acting?

Quick Facts

When your mother is an Oscar nominee, and your father is an award-winning actor/musician, then you have no choice but to succeed in showbiz. This is the true-life story of Dakota Johnson, the daughter of two Hollywood veterans. Through her acting career, Johnson has featured in several blockbuster movies and TV shows. She is also a model and has gone on to become one of the most popular faces in contemporary Hollywood. So, who are Dakota Johnson’s parents? Did they inspire her to take up acting? All these and more interesting facts are explored below.

Who are Dakota Johnson’s Parents?

Dakota Johnson is often described as Hollywood royalty and this stems from her family background. The actress is the scion of two accomplished movie stars, namely Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson. Her dad, Don, who was born on the 15th of December 1949 in Missouri, grew up in Wichita, Texas. He dabbled into theatre in high school and subsequently studied theatre in college but dropped out after a year to pursue his acting career.

Don Johnson made his acting debut in the 1969 theatrical production, Fortune and Men’s Eyes. Since then, he has appeared in several movies and TV series, including Nash Bridges, When in Rome, Machete, Django Unchained, Miami Vice, etc. Miami Vice is an NBC police procedural film, which ran from 1984 to 1990. In the series, Don Johnson portrayed the lead role of Sonny Crockett, an undercover detective working in Miami. His performance fetched him the 1986 Golden Globe award for best actor in a TV series – drama.

On the other hand, Johnson’s mom, Melanie Griffith, was born on the 9th of August 1957. She grew up in New York and dabbled into modeling as a child. She subsequently made her acting debut at the age of 12, appearing in the 1969 movie, Smith!. Since then, Griffith has featured in several acclaimed movies, including Body Double, Something Wild, Buffalo Girls, Milk Money, and Working Girl.

Working Girl is a 1988 romance drama which revolves around Tess, a secretary who confronts her boss for stealing her ideas and passing it off as her own. The movie featured the likes of Harrison Ford and Sigourney Weaver, while Griffith portrayed the role of Tess. Her performance fetched her the Golden Globe award for best actress in a musical or comedy. She equally scored an Oscar nomination for best actress.

Did They Inspire Her To Take Up Acting?

The answer to this puzzle is unsurprisingly in the affirmative. Johnson spent most of her childhood years hanging out on her parents’ movie sets. She picked up several skills and the whole experience spurred her interest in acting. The young Dakota Johnson shared her aspirations with her parents, but they were initially hesitant as they did not want her to abandon her studies. They later relented and as a result, Johnson made her professional debut in the 1999 movie, Crazy in Alabama.

The crime drama revolves around Lucille Vinson, an abused housewife who murders her husband and sets off to become a movie star. The movie featured Johnson’s mom as Lucille, while she played the role of Lucille’s daughter, Sondra. Following this humble debut, Johnson embarked on a hiatus to focus more on her academics. Interestingly, she completed her high school diploma in 2007 and subsequently re-joined Hollywood.

Dakota Johnson’s Career Breakthrough and Success

Since her 2007 comeback, Dakota Johnson has gone on to establish a successful and thriving career. The actress has featured in several popular movies, including 21 Jump Street, The Five-Year Engagement, Black Mass, A Bigger Splash, Bad Times at the El Royale, Wounds and the Fifty Shades Series. Her biggest role yet is undoubtedly the Fifty Shades Franchise. In the series, she portrays the lead role of Anastasia Steele, an inexperienced college grad who embarks on a sadomasochist relationship with a rich businessman.

The Fifty Shades franchise comprised a total of three films, which grossed $1.32 billion worldwide. It also fetched Johnson several accolades, including favorite dramatic actress at the 2016 People’s Choice Awards. Despite the overwhelming success of the Fifty Shades series, Dakota Johnson’s parents have never seen the film. This is as a result of the inappropriate content of the S&M film. Johnson has, however, disclosed that her parents do not judge her for the role but have rather been supportive.

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