Dakota Johnson

Dakota Mayi Johnson is an American actress and fashion model. She was born in Austin, Texas, and is the daughter of actors 'Don Johnson' (qv) and 'Melanie Griffith' (qv). Her maternal grandmother is actress 'Tippi Hedren' (qv).In 1999, she made her film debut in _Crazy in Alabama (1999)_ (qv), where she and her half-sister, 'Stella Banderas' (qv), played the daughters to their real-life mother, 'Melanie Griffith' (qv). The film was directed by her stepfather, 'Antonio Banderas' (qv), but it wasn't a hit. Dakota resumed her schooling and waited several years before she decided to become a professional actress and model. In 2006, she was voted Miss Golden Globe, a launching pad bestowed on off-spring of famous parents. She served as the first second-generation Miss Golden Globe in the Globes' history, since her mother was Miss Golden Globe in 1975. She also signed with IMG Models. In 2009, she modeled for MANGO brand's jeans line. Dakota traveled to Sydney, Australia, where she shot the "Rising Star" campaign for fashion label, "Wish". Once she graduated from high school, she signed with the William Morris Agency and started her acting career. She had her first box office hit in 2010 with 'David Fincher' (qv)'s film, _The Social Network (2010)_ (qv), in which she had a scene with 'Justin Timberlake' (qv). The film received eight Oscar nominations, including one for Best Picture. She also appeared in three additional films: _Beastly (2011)_ (qv), alongside 'Vanessa Hudgens' (qv) and 'Mary-Kate Olsen' (qv); 'Ezna Sands' (qv)' film, _Chloe & Theo (2015)_ (qv); and 'So Yong Kim' (qv)'s film, _For Ellen (2012)_ (qv); She had roles in several 2012 films: 'Christopher Neil' (qv)'s film, _Goats (2012)_ (qv), with 'David Duchovny' (qv); 'Nicholas Stoller' (qv)'s film, _The Five-Year Engagement (2012)_ (qv), for producer 'Judd Apatow' (qv), and the hit feature film version of the 1987 television show, _21 Jump Street (1987)_ (qv) that made 'Johnny Depp' (qv) a star. She also won the female lead in 'Chris Nelson' (qv)'s, film _Date and Switch (2014)_ (qv), written by 'Alan Yang' (qv). Her first television show, _Ben and Kate (2012)_ (qv), where she played "Kate", aired on Fox during the Fall 2012 season. It was canceled in 2013, and she quickly resumed her feature film career with three high-profile films: _Need for Speed (2014)_ (qv), _Cymbeline (2014)_ (qv), the modern-day adaptation of the 'William Shakespeare' (qv) play, "Cymbeline", and the starring role of "Anastasia Steele" in _Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)_ (qv), the adaptation of the best-selling erotic novel, "Fifty Shades of Grey". She beat out many young actresses for the coveted role of Anastasia, and the film became a worldwide hit, making her a star. She won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Dramatic Movie Actress for "Fifty Shades of Grey". She has continued to seek challenging roles, such as of a young mother who loses her son in _Black Mass (2015)_ (qv) opposite her "21 Jump Street" castmate 'Johnny Depp' (qv), and of a temptress in _A Bigger Splash (2015)_ (qv). She has balanced her dramatic career by doing comedies as well, such as _How to Be Single (2016)_ (qv).::Tariq I. Samy