Dannielynn Birkhead was just an infant when her mom, Anna Nicole Smith, died from a drug overdose in a Florida hotel. Now, she is 14 years old and growing up in Kentucky. She is being raised by her dad, Larry Birkhead, in 2021.
Dannielynn Birkhead’s first year of life was wrought with very public hardship. Her half-brother, Daniel Smith, died just three days after she was born. She was five months old when her mom died. Anna Nicole Smith had claimed husband Howard Stern was the father of her daughter, but a paternity suit proved Birkhead was her father.
Dannielynn and her dad are taking a journey through Anna Nicole Smith’s life on an encore episode of ABC 20/20. It airs at 9 p.m. Eastern time Friday, August 13, 2021.
Here’s what you need to know:
Dannielynn & Her Dad, Larry Birkhead, Attend the Kentucky Derby Every Year & She Often Wears Her Mom’s Pink Hat
Dannielynn and her dad made a tradition of attending the Kentucky Derby every year, and 2021 was no different. Larry Birkhead wrote on Instagram about their tradition, and said they had a blast even though their favorite event, The Barnstable-Brown Party, was cancelled.
Birkhead went on to write about his daughter’s wardrobe, saying she decided to trade in her pink dresses for a pastel pantsuit “and a beautiful white flowered fascinator.” Even though he wondered if his little girl had outgrown her dresses, he noted she still “cleaned out the chocolate brownies, ice cream and nachos while at the same time critiquing my outfit.”
He wrote:
It’s that time of year again. The @kentuckyderby weekend is here! Even though our favorite event The Barnstable-Brown Party won’t be back until next year, we decided to head out on this beautiful day to Churchill Downs racetrack in preparation for The Kentucky Derby. Dannielynn “finished first” in her @jovanifashions pant suit and a beautiful white flowered fascinator. She said she wanted to wear something entirely different than she had in the past. I guess that means no more “little girl” dresses?? She cleaned out the chocolate brownies, ice cream and nachos while at the same time critiquing my outfit.
Birkhead talked about the tradition with 20/20, and said the Kentucky Derby was a tradition Anna Nicole Smith enjoyed. He said his daughter often wears her mother’s pink hat to the Kentucky Derby.
Dannielynn Was a Child Model But Chose to Stay Largely Out of the Public Eye
Dannielynn modeled for a Guess campaign in 2012, but she decided quickly she did not want to be a public figure, Birkhead told 20/20.
“I’ve had companies call me since and ask for her to model, and that answer’s ‘no,’” Larry said to 20/20. “She doesn’t show any interest in it. She wants to be a kid.”
Anna Nicole Smith had been a Guess model as well. Mother and daughter had other similarities too, Larry Birkhead said on the show.
“She is fearless like her mom. She’ll get on any roller coaster that you put in front of her,” he said in a 20/20 interview.
People tell him his daughter is a “spitting image of her mother,” he said on the show.
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