Beauty
‘I Love Her’: Antonio Banderas Never Calls Dakota Johnson His Stepdaughter
“She’s my daughter.”
Dakota Johnson, daughter of the Spanish heartthrob actor, Antonio Banderas, and Melanie Griffith. But many people know that she’s the actor’s stepdaughter and a child from Melanie’s previous marriage to Don Johnson who ended things amicably.
But that doesn’t stop Dakota from calling Antonio her “bonus dad.”
Melanie Griffith met the Spanish actor on the set of “Two Much” when sparks immediately flew between them. Things progressed pretty fast between the single man and the mom-of-two.
Dakota once said, “I come from a family of many a marriage and I got very lucky. I got a bonus dad who I realized that, over time, is actually one of the most influential people in my whole life.”
Banderas soon earned the nickname “Paponio” which was a mix of “Papi” and “Anotonio.”
Dakota loves her dad and enjoy gushing over him and described him as the man that brought so much fun to family. He was “fiercely” caring about them and taught them “true passion and discipline.”
The family welcomed their youngest member, Stella, in 1996, while Dakota and her brother were reaching their teen years. As a dad, Banderas made it clear to them that he can’t just be their friends – he’s someone determined to keep them safe.
The challenges of being the daughter of two of the most prominent actors of their times are ones most people can’t relate to. Their youngest don’t enjoy being put in the spotlight, but Dakota was different: she embraced it.
She first appeared in “Crazy in Alabama” with her parents, directed by Banderas himself.
Dakota enjoyed working with her parents and recalled it as one of the most fun things for her. She loved acting and would ask for lessons to show her seriousness. The actress credited her mom for her sense of humor and her grandmother for her strength and dignity.
Dakota learned Spanish from her dad and the Spanish actor also exposed her to flamenco and jamón. She attributed him as one of the greatest actors of the time, a man who was never satisfied with himself and strive to improve. Her dad loves her just as much.
“She’s my daughter, I love her,” said the 62-year-old once. “I’ve been with her on my shoulders, traveling all around the world.”
Griffith and Banderas divorced in 2014, but remained amicable and co-parented all the same. The couple still spend their time together on important days, anniversaries, and celebrations. They would hit up on each other for small chats from time to time as well.
“We will go for dinner. I’m going to see probably her tomorrow in Los Angeles, and we are pretty good friends,” shared the dad-of-three.
Even if their marriage ended, Antonio never regretted the years they spent together. He shared, “They were worth it all.”
“I thought and felt that all of those years. But I knew that it was a confirmation that all of those years that Melanie and I spent together, they were years that was not only just about Melanie and me, they were about the family.”
When Antonio won the Hollywood Film Award for his role in “Pain and Glory,” Dakota presented him the statuette and he told the world, “I want to dedicate this to two people that I love.”
“One is right here, Dakota, for something very simple, because you always call me papi, and still now you call me papi and I love that! You have no idea how much I love that!”
Such a lovely family!
