Skip to main contentSkip to footer
"How To Be Single" New York Premiere - After Party© GettyImages

Why Dakota Johnson’s parents discouraged her from becoming an actress: ‘I grew up on set’

Dakota had her mind set on becoming a star, as she grew up surrounded by actors, including her former stepdad Antonio Banderas.


Daniel Neira
Daniel Neira - Los Angeles
Senior WriterLos Angeles
JANUARY 13, 2022 2:13 PM EST

Dakota Johnson is opening up about her career in Hollywood, revealing that her parents, Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, despite being movie stars, wanted her to follow a different path.

The 32-year-old actress who has found success, starring in ‘The Lost Daughter,’ ‘The High Note,’ and ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ among others, confessed that her parents discouraged her from entering the entertainment industry.

However she had her mind set on becoming a star, as she grew up surrounded by actors, including her former stepdad Antonio Banderas and her grandmother Tippi Hedren.

During her latest interview Dakota explained that she later understood why her parents wanted her to wait. “They wanted me to have as much of a childhood as I could,” the actress shared.

“See how well that turned out?” she joked, adding that she always wanted to be an actress, even at a young age. “Nothing old. Zero old,” Dakota continued, “I couldn’t wait because I grew up on set.”

23rd Annual Hollywood Film Awards   Social Crops© GettyImages

One of the reasons for her desire to act had to do with the success of her parents in Hollywood, as she looked up to them from a very young age. “My parents were always working with amazing artists, and I just loved it. I wanted to be a part of it so badly,” she said.