The teen model stepped out in a gown her mother wore over two decades ago, bringing back bittersweet memories.
Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter, Dannielynn Birkhead, turned heads over the weekend as she stepped out with her father, Larry Birkhead, for a major event that once held significance for her late mother. Some fans loved Dannielynn’s resemblance to her mom, while others were uneasy about how closely she mirrored her.
Dannielynn and Larry graced the annual Barnstable Brown Gala on Friday, May 2. The 18-year-old wore a floor-length black gown with a halter neckline and relaxed fit, which radiated elegance. The dress featured a split just above the knee, allowing it to flow effortlessly as she walked.
Intricate, shimmering embellishments adorned both the front and back of the ensemble, giving it an added touch of glamour. Her dad, Larry Birkhead, coordinated with her in an all-black suit, complete with matching shoes and tie.
The night was especially meaningful because of what Dannielynn was wearing—her mother’s dress. Larry shared the full-circle moment on social media, posting photos from the event, “The Barnstable-Brown Gala. Dannielynn is wearing Anna Nicole’s dress that she wore 21 years ago to this same event. Life full circle. She said she chose the dress because it was her Mom’s and ‘super cool.'”
The powerful visual connection between mother and daughter attracted attention from online fans who were quick to react with awe, admiration, and a bit of concern.
One admirer couldn’t believe their eyes, exclaiming, “Stoppp [sic] the resemblance is unreal 😭❤️❤️❤️.” Someone else gushed, “Omg! She gets more beautiful every year!!!” Another fan was struck by the similarities, writing, “Her mother birthed herself. She looks and sounds JUST like her mother.”
A comment pointed out a specific feature, “Definitely her moms twin! Even has that gummy smile her mom had.[sic]” Someone was floored by the likeness, stating, “She’s a clone of her, it’s so crazy.”
However, not everyone was on board with the transformation, with one person questioning, “Why try and make his daughter look just like Anna Nicole. Let her be her own person.” Another voice chimed in with concern, “I’m sorry but this is so wrong. She’s not her momma and doesn’t need to morph into her. IMO. Larry shouldn’t let her go down this path.”
And one commenter expressed deeper unease, “But there is something off about this whole thing. He is keeping Anna Nicole alive through her. What kind of pressure is this placing her state of mind in?”
The father-daughter appearance stirred up a wave of emotion and deep questions—all because Dannielynn Birkhead chose to honor the memory of a mother she barely got to know. Yet this isn’t the first time her fashion choices have sparked conversation. Even during her recent 18th birthday celebration, fans had plenty to say about her style.
The celebration was magical. However, her choice of attire for the special occasion ignited a heated debate online, with some praising her unique fashion sense and others expressing their disapproval.
On Saturday, September 7, her father took to Instagram to share a series of fun photos. He gave fans a glimpse of their adventure to the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” The Afterlife Experience in Los Angeles. Clearly, the milestone birthday needed an out-of-this-world party — and that’s exactly what she got.
“Dannielynn had a great time celebrating her 18th birthday with friends and family by attending the @beetlejuiceafterlife.exp and @beetlejuicemovie which made for an out-of-this-world experience,” Larry captioned the post, giving fans a sneak peek at the spooky yet exciting celebration.
Dannielynn went all-out with a gothic-chic look. She rocked an all-black outfit picked from none other than Hot Topic. “Of course, Dannielynn found a Hot Topic store to get a spooky outfit for all the fun! 😆 Happy 18th Birthday Dannielynn!” Larry wrote, adding a playful touch to the occasion.
With spooky makeup, her blonde hair styled in loose waves, and bangs framing her face, Dannielynn fully embraced the quirky Beetlejuice theme. Among the eye-catching carousel of birthday moments, Dannielynn was seen posing by the ocean in her gothic glam look with a stunning sunset as her backdrop.
Another snapshot showed her striking a pose with a man dressed as Beetlejuice himself!
Other photos captured her getting her makeup done, and beaming with joy at the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” movie entrance.
One clip even captured her waving to the camera with a Betelgeuse sign on the table. Of course, any celebration on social media brings out opinions, and Dannielynn’s birthday post was no exception.
Critics were quick to chime in on her makeup and gothic outfit, with one commenter remarking, “She’s goth… Anna Nicole would not approve of that.” Another added, “Her mother is turning in her grave 😭.” Others didn’t mince words, saying, “Not a good look,” and one even called for her dad to stop playing stylist, “Larry needs to stop dressing her.”
But amid the noise, Dannielynn’s fans quickly came to her defense. “Dad did right by he’s daughter I knw Anna would be so proud she’s so beautiful like her mom😊[sic],” one fan wrote, showering her with praise.
Another commented, “Such a lovely girl! Her mama would be proud!” Some fans couldn’t help but point out how much Dannielynn resembles her iconic mother, with one noting, “Beautiful girl. Looks so much like her mother.”
Another added, “She’s gorgeous!! I hope she had a great birthday ❤️ she may be a legal adult now but she’ll always be your baby!!” One fan even added a touching note, “I know Anna and Daniel were celebrating like crazy up there.” Her upbringing didn’t go unnoticed either, with one fan writing, “I’m still in awe of how she was raised so well. 🙌.”
In 2023, on Dannielynn’s 17th birthday, her father, Larry, shared a heartfelt montage capturing her growth over the years. In his touching message, he expressed how proud he was of her in every way, wishing her the best day possible.
He described her as “funny, crazy smart, and pretty,” noting that she was everything he had ever imagined. Larry also reflected on how proud her mother would have been.
He humorously mentioned that when Dannielynn asked if she could live in his basement forever, he agreed but admitted he didn’t have the heart to tell her that Florida doesn’t have basements.
It seems Dannielynn has followed in her late mother’s footsteps, showing a passion for acting. Back in 2019, during an interview alongside her father, she shared her excitement about the craft, mentioning how “cool” it was to act as a character.
She explained that portraying someone new was fun and gave her a sense of stepping into a different person’s shoes. Dannielynn hasn’t been shy about showcasing her artistic side. Recently, on August 27, she debuted a new hairstyle that left netizens talking about the transformation.
Her father shared the eye-catching photos of their time at an event that underscored Dannielynn’s love for anime depicting the teen with striking new hair.
Cosplaying as three different characters from “Kamen Rider,” Dannielynn got to meet a few of her favorite Japanese live-action actors at Power Morphicon in Pasadena.
Her first look as the character Hino Eiji featured edgy dark brown hair that had red and platinum blonde highlights. With this hair, Dannielynn rocked a colorful t-shirt, maroon pants, a dark blue poncho, wristbands, and a red, black, gold, and green plastic bird-style claw on her right hand.
In her second look, Dannielynn transformed into Ankh. For this ensemble, the young lady changed her dark hair to a light orange color, with the locks fashioned into tight curls instead of the previous jagged haircut.
Dressing as Ankh, Dannielynn wore the same plastic bird claw from her first costume and paired it with a black shirt over a white one, red pants, and Doc Marten-inspired boots.
According to her dad, the last look featured Dannielynn dressed as “Ankh possessing Eiji from the ‘Kamen Rider OOO 10th: Core Medal of Resurrection’ movie.”
“Had an awesome time at this weekend’s @officialpowermorphicon in Pasadena, California thanks to @tokuspirits! Dannielynn […] was so excited to meet @maaaaaaaasahiro (Masahiro Inoue) that plays ‘Decade’ from ‘Kamen Rider Decade’ that she was overcome with joy,” read a part of Larry’s caption.
“She was also excited to meet @yuikoike_official (Gokai Pink) and @ozawa_ryota (Gokai Red) from ‘Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger’ @yasuhisa_furuhara0813 (Go-on Red) from ‘Engine Sentai Go-Onger’ was her other favorites! […] This is the first stop and pre-celebration for Dannielynn’s upcoming birthday celebration! The countdown begins now!” continued Larry in his message.
After thanking other people and organizations that made it possible for him and his daughter to attend the event, Larry hinted that he and Dannielynn might be headed to Japan next, at the end of his caption.
People who saw the fun times the father-daughter duo had at Power Morphicon took to the comment section of Larry’s post to express how beautiful Dannielynn looked with her different hair.
They also compared her to her late mom. Additionally, someone said that the hairstyle made her look more like her dad, who they praised as a good father.
“What a special experience for her!! What fun! I have to say… she looks like you with the short and dark hair (I know it’s just a wig) 🙂 But we all know she is her momma’s ‘mini me’!! Enjoy and safe travels to your next adventure! Thanks for sharing! You’re a great daddy!” expressed a fan.
Dannielynn’s recent cosplay experience isn’t the first time the teenager has dressed up as her favorite characters from Japanese live-action shows.
Just last year, an Instagram post from Dannielynn’s father revealed that she went as Oni Sister from “Avatoro Sentai Donbrothers” — another favorite show of hers — to go trick or treating on Halloween.
Stepping in again as a doting father, Larry revealed that he had made his daughter’s outfit from scratch based on a 3D model. He did so after finding out, in the nick of time, that stores were not selling the costume that Dannielynn wanted.
“It is the first time I attempted that before, but I figure we are approaching the end of the trick-or-treating phase (or maybe not) so I told her I would try my best. Hours and hours later, I think we got a decent version of her favorite character, that she has reminded me numerous times is ‘not a Power Ranger!'” expressed Larry on November 1, 2023.
In May of 2024, Dannielynn attended the Kentucky Derby with her dad in a dress that was inspired by one of the same characters she emulated at the recent anime convention. She wore a unique red dress with ruffled shoulder pads.
“Dannielynn’s dress was inspired by her favorite character Hino Eiji, Kamen Rider OOO TajaDor combo -she made me write that 😆 -because that character had the same shoulders as the design of the dress she found! 🤷♂️” captioned Larry alongside photos of him and Dannielynn.
Dannielynn and her father Larry’s bond is strong. Now stepping into adulthood, Dannielynn continues to make her father proud, as he reflects on just how far she’s come over the years.
