Hollywood is full of stars with famous connections.
But sometimes an actor become just as big a name in their own right to the point you nearly forget they’re the offspring of Hollywood’s elite.
And that seems to be the case with Dakota Johnson.
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If you didn’t know, she’s the daughter of exes Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith.
With leading lady roles in the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise and her latest rom-drama Materialists, plus an award-worthy fringe that has probably inspired many haircuts, Dakota’s star has almost eclipsed that of her famous parents.
So, how did she go beyond just a “nepo baby” to become a big Hollywood name?
Read on to find out.
She was born to two Hollywood stars
Now 35, Dakota was born in 1989 to A-list couple Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith.
She has six siblings from both her parents’ different relationships.
Don is known for roles in the likes of Miami Vice and Doctor Odyssey, while Griffith made a name for herself in films like Working Girl and Lolita.
Dakota’s parents were first married in 1976, but called it quits months later. They then tied the knot again in 1989 and were together up until 1996.
Griffith went on to remarry another famous star: Antonio Banderas.
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So it’s safe to say Dakota has grown up around some very big names in Hollywood.
“I grew up around actors all the time, on sets all the time. I don’t think I ever wanted to do anything else,” Dakota told Backstage in 2021.
An early brush with the acting bug
Dakota was just 10 years old when she made her screen debut with her mum.
She had a small role in Griffith’s 1999 film Crazy in Alabama, also directed by her dad.
But while she grew up around some big names in the acting world, Dakota got the acting bug all on her own.
“There’s this preconceived notion that because of who my parents are, I’m going to be a certain way,” she told CBC Radio’s Q with Tom Power.
“I can’t remember a time when I thought about doing something else,” she admitted.
“I want to make movies forever and I’ve wanted to make movies forever.”
But her pathway to acting wasn’t entirely smooth sailing.
She didn’t make into Julliard and had no backup plans for college.
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In an interview with Elle UK, Dakota spoke about her dad cutting her off financially.
Don explained in an interview in 2021 with Seth Meyers that the rule in the family was in order to stay on the payroll, you had to go to college.
“I didn’t get in and my dad cut me off because I didn’t go to college,” Dakota said.
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“So, I started auditioning.”
By the time she was 19 she’d starred in The Social Network – her first big role.
The actress said it was “hard to make money” for a couple of years. She had to ask her parents for financial help after struggling to pay rent.
Over the years, she had small roles in films like 21 Jump Street and The Five-Year Engagement.
But when 2015 rolled around, the up-and-coming star was on her way to being an A-list actress, thanks to one nailed audition.
Fifty Shades of success
In the 2010s, it seemed nearly every woman on the planet had read the same book. That novel is, of course, the erotic romance Fifty Shades of Grey.
When it was announced the bestseller would be made into a movie, the question on everyone’s mind was: who would bring to life Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey?
The role of Ana ended up going to Dakota, who was not yet a big name in the industry.
In 2015 she starred alongside Jamie Dornan in the first film.
Their electric chemistry secured three films altogether in the franchise.
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“The more work I do, the more the general public sees the different things I can do,” Dakota told British Vogue in a 2016 interview.
Speaking of the Fifty Shades franchise success, she had this to say: “Do I think it opened doors? Yeah. More people know my name.”
From there, her star continued to rise.
In 2016, she was in How to be Single with Australia’s Rebel Wilson.
She’s then gone on to star in How to be Single, Suspiria and The Peanut Butter Falcon.
In 2024, she became part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing the titular superhero in Madame Web (it wasn’t exactly a hit, but oh well).
Then in 2025 she returned to the romance genre with Materialists.
She plays a matchmaker living in new York City who has to choose between two of Hollywood’s biggest heartthrobs: Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal.
And Dakota will be back on the big screen next year with a role in the highly-anticipated movie adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s book, Verity.
She’s the queen of hilarious interviews
If you don’t know her from her acting, you’ve probably come across a Dakota Johnson interview moment at some point while scrolling on social media.
Dakota has made headlines over the years for her candor on press tours, which has led to many hilarious interview moments.
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Remember when she confronted Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show when the host claimed she wasn’t invited to the star’s birthday party? A classic.
Or what about when she lied about liking limes during a house tour interview?
Check out her most chaotic and unhinged interview moments from over the years here to see why’s she’s the beloved by the internet.
She’s been linked to a famous star
Dakota has made headlines in recent years for her relationship with Coldplay front man, Chris Martin.
The pair were first romantically linked in 2017.
Over the course of their eight-year relationship, there were even engagement rumours, but in June 2025, they reportedly called it quits.
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