Born Oct. 4, 1989 in Austin, TX, Dakota Mayi Johnson hailed from showbiz royalty; her parents were Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, her grandmother was Tippi Hedren and, in 1996, Antonio Banderas became her stepfather. She made her film debut in Griffith and Banderas' "Crazy in Alabama" (1999) and, in 2006, was named Miss Golden Globe. After a stint in rehab and enjoying success as a model, Johnson landed a small role as a lover of Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake) in the Oscar-winning drama "The Social Network" (2010), which also earned her and her castmates a slew of "Best Ensemble" honors from various film festivals.
The actress went on to book supporting roles in such high-profile projects as "Beastly" (2011), "21 Jump Street" (2012) and "The Five-Year Engagement" (2012), but Johnson's breakthrough role came on the sitcom "Ben and Kate" (Fox, 2012- ), where she was given the opportunity to play lead as Kate, a single mother who finds both inspiration and exasperation from her free-spirited brother Ben (Nat Faxon). Impressing critics and fans with her screen presence and comic timing, Johnson was one of the delightful show's most charming elements.
By Jonathan Riggs