Dannielynn Birkhead

Dannielynn Hope Marshall Birkhead (born Hannah Rose Marshall Stern; September 7, 2006) is an American reality television personality and child model. She is the only daughter of Anna Nicole Smith and Larry Birkhead and was the focus of the Dannielynn Birkhead paternity case.

Early life and paternity

Dannielynn Hope Marshall Birkhead, named Hannah Rose Marshall Stern at birth, was born to Anna Nicole Smith on September 7, 2006 in Nassau, The Bahamas. Almost immediately, questions over her paternity arose, quickly followed by the death of her half-brother, Daniel Smith, three days after her birth. Smith’s death and Dannielynn’s custody preceded the paternity claims made by attorney Howard K. Stern, Larry Birkhead, Smith’s bodyguard Alexander Denk, and Frederic von Anhalt, husband of the actress Zsa Zsa Gabor. Smith named Howard K. Stern as father on her daughter’s birth certificate.

Birkhead, a celebrity photographer from Kentucky, brought his challenge to court to legitimize his claim. After DNA testing, Birkhead was formally established as the father. After gaining custody of his daughter, Dannielynn’s surname was changed from Stern to Birkhead.

When Birkhead was five months old, her mother died of an accidental drug overdose at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. In 2008, she was declared sole heir to Smith’s estate, estimated at $700,000.

At 16 months old, Birkhead underwent surgery to correct the strabismus in one of her eyes. Her father wore a patch as well so the pair could “play pirates together”.

Modeling and media focus

At age six, Birkhead participated in a modeling campaign for Guess Kids, the children’s line for Guess clothing. Paul Marciano, the co-founder of Guess, stated “Dannielynn has the same playful spirit that her mother had on a set.” The campaign was followed by the Spring 2013 line. She and her father attended the Kentucky Derby since 2008, where her parents had first met.

In August 2014, federal court judge David O. Carter ruled Dannielynn Birkhead will not receive $44 million from the estate of the late E. Pierce Marshall, the son of J. Howard Marshall. Her father was hopeful that Dannielynn would receive a substantial amount of money in sanctions. Judge Carter denied this request, ruling that there was “just no evidence before the court that justifies awarding sanctions against Pierce Marshall’s estate”.

Filmography

Year Title Episode Role
2018 Entertainment Tonight One episode Self
2017 Inside Edition One episode Self
2017 ABC.com One episode Self
2016 Steve Harvey One appearance Self
2015 The Millionaire Matchmaker One episode Self
2014 Celebrity Wife Swap Larry Birkhead/Hélio Castroneves Self
2013 Life After Anna Nicole: The Larry & Dannielynn Story TV movie Self
2011 True Crime with Aphrodite Jones Anna Nicole Smith: Tragedy on Trial Self
2008–13 Entertainment Tonight Six episodes Self
2007–12 Access Hollywood Six episodes Self