Dakota Johnson Says Growing Up As A Nepo Baby Had Scary Moments

Growing up in the spotlight isn't as incredible as fans may think, just ask Dakota Johnson!

The Hollywood star recently opened up about her life as a "nepo baby," revealing her childhood was filled with its fair share of ups and downs. Unlike most celebrities, the "Madame Web" star comes from two generations of entertainers.

Dakota Johnson is the daughter of actors Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith. Her maternal grandmother, Tippi Hedren, is a retired actress whose first husband, Peter Griffith, gained fame as a former child actor.

Johnson addressed her childhood and some of the challenges associated with growing up in an entertainment background. Besides the attention she received from having famous parents, she garnered similar recognition for having Antonio Banderas as her stepfather during his relationship with Griffith.

While some might believe Johnson grew up surrounded by affluence, she confessed that her childhood wasn't all roses and sunshine. "When I was little, there were times when it was really quite scary," she told Vogue Germany in her cover story for the magazine, adding:

"People would aggressively and physically try to get to my mom when we were just going to the supermarket or something. If you accept that as normal as a little kid, it can lead to a lot of complexes."

The Marvel star added that it was rough growing up in the public eye and having strangers know about her private life "in a way that's very invasive, rude, and painful." However, she believed there were more pros than cons to being a "nepo baby."

Johnson confessed that she never "truly realized what Hollywood was" as a child, but she grew up on movie sets and was always surrounded by people from the entertainment industry. "I was born in Texas because my dad worked there," she said, referencing the 1990 film, "The Hot Spot."

Although she did not fully realize the significance of her family's jobs, Johnson knew from a young age that their careers were distinct from those of her schoolmates. She noted moving from set to set made it challenging to make friends, but she accepted her fate. "This is what we do. It's in our blood," she said.

Thanks to her incredible background, Johnson knew from a young age that she was meant to be an actress. She noted that she had always wanted to join her family's profession and had been obsessed with movies as a kid.

Despite her enthusiasm, her parents did not allow her to enter the industry as a child. Johnson explained that she was never allowed to act in movies as a kid, except in the 1999 film "Crazy in Alabama," where she had a minor role at the age of ten.

The restrictions placed on Johnson ended after she graduated from high school. PEOPLE reported that her father recalled the moment in a 2021 appearance on "Late Night With Seth Meyers," revealing his daughter was cast in "The Social Network" and became financially dependent without his support.

Despite making a name for themselves as entertainers, Johnson's parents did not want her to follow in their footsteps. The actress once explained that they "discouraged" her from pursuing an acting career because they wanted her to have a normal childhood.

Griffith echoed similar sentiments in an interview, stressing that she never doubted Johnson's talents. Nonetheless, she did not want her daughter to experience the dark side of the entertainment industry, something Griffith experienced firsthand.

"I knew how tough it was to navigate all of the aspects of filmmaking, and I hope she learned some good tips from me! I think she did," Griffith explained. She credited Johnson's resilience and talents for making her the star she is today, noting that her daughter did not thrive due to nepotism.

Months before reflecting on her childhood, Johnson faced speculation about a breakup. The Blast covered the story in July, reporting that sources claimed Griffith was trying to repair the strained relationship between her daughter and her fiancé, Chris Martin.

Sources alleged the couple had ended their years-long romance after growing apart due to multiple issues. Other insiders claimed that Griffith believed her daughter had made a big mistake by splitting from Martin and was proactively fighting for their reconciliation.

A month later, The Blast reported that a representative for Johnson denied the breakup rumors. They claimed the engagement had not ended, adding that Martin and Johnson were living their best lives. The couple simply had issues balancing their personal and work schedules.