It's hard to believe that it's already been 16 years since model Anna Nicole Smith tragically died of an accidental overdose. She's left behind quite a legacy, though — and we're not just talking about her fame. Though her son, Daniel, died just months before his mother, Anna Nicole also left behind a daughter: Dannielynn Birkhead, who is now a full-fledged teenager.
Since Dannielynn was just 5 months old when her mother died, she's been raised by father Larry Birkhead ever since. But all we have to do to remember Anna Nicole is look at her 16-year-old daughter, who is growing up to be the spitting image of her late mom.
And now, both Anna Nicole and Dannielynn are making headlines all over again after the release of the new Netflix documentary, Anna Nicole Smith: You Don't Know Me, which aims to examine the life and death of the late model.
Keep scrolling for photos of Dannielynn through the years as she's grown up. We know her mom would be so proud of who her baby girl is today.
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Toddler Time
A little more than a year after Anna Nicole's death, Larry and Dannielynn were spotted at an event at Universal Studios Hollywood in May 2008 — just months before the little girl would celebrate her second birthday.
That year, Larry had taken Dannielynn to her mother's gravesite in Nassau, Bahamas, to mark the first anniversary of her death, telling Entertainment Tonight (via People) at the time, "It's tough. Even though she doesn't understand, it was important for us to come. One day I can tell her that we went to visit her mom."
Face Painted Up
Most kids love getting their faces painted at literally any event where a face painter is present, and that certainly seems to be true of Dannielynn, too! Here, this little lady was 3 years old and looking like the most adorable ladybug while she and her dad took in a Lakers game in November 2009.
Catching a Quick Nap
Even though Dannielynn was born into the spotlight, she was still just a regular kid, and here, she was pictured doing exactly what a toddler would be doing on live television: taking a nap. She fell asleep while she and her dad were on the Today show in 2010. She looks so tired!
Hanging With Dad
Another day, another red carpet event for Dannielynn — and by the time she posed for this photo in 2011, just a couple of months before she'd turn 5, she was an old pro at it. The older Dannielynn gets, the more she looks like a carbon copy of her model mom.
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Derby Style
The Kentucky Derby has been a longstanding tradition for Dannielynn and her dad, and she looked adorable as ever at the 2012 event in this yellow floral dress. And can we talk about that headpiece? This little lady did not come to Churchill Downs to play.
More TV Appearances
Dannielynn once again joined her dad for a TV interview (and stayed awake this time!) in January 2013 to discuss the ad campaign she did with Guess as a way to honor her late mom, who had famously modeled for the brand.
"To see her mom's picture next to hers as a Guess girl and say, 'Hey, I was a Guess Kids girl, my mommy was a Guess girl,' that might be her only connection with her mom," Larry later told Good Morning America.
Mary & Bert
In 2013, Dannielynn and her dad pulled off what might just be their best Kentucky Derby look yet. They showed up to the races in full costume as Mary and Bert from Disney's Mary Poppins, and Dannielynn managed to stay in dress code and in character at the same time with that fancy hat!
Red Carpet Ready
In the summer of that same year, Dannielynn found herself on the red carpet with her dad all over again — this time, for the premiere of Smurfs 2. She knows how to work the carpet just like her mom did, and looked totally adorable in this dress that fit the color scheme of the movie.
Her 'Wife Swap' Debut
Another reason 2013 was exciting for Dannielynn: She got to appear on Celebrity Wife Swap when her dad switched places with race car driver Hélio Castroneves. Though it was definitely a challenge for the families on both sides, they got through it!
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Pretty in Pink
Another year, another Kentucky Derby. In 2015, a 9-year-old Dannielynn joined her dad at the races once again, and this time, they coordinated in pink outfits. And according to what Larry said at the time, it took him a full two months to put together his daughter's outfit for the occasion. Dannielynn took the lead on his look.
"She had my outfit ready — she said, 'Dad, you have to wear this outfit,' then she said, 'It doesn't look right, you'll embarrass me, so wear this [instead],'" he told the Courier-Journal.
Growing Up So Fast
At the 2018 Kentucky Derby, 11-year-old Dannielynn showed up in this super adorable blue and white ensemble, with blue floral detailing on her sleeves that matched the flowers on her hat.
"This is the first year she got excited about picking things out," Larry told Us Weekly at the event. "Normally I put whatever on her and she's fine with it. But she likes this dress. She said, 'That's ugly, that's gross,' to some choices. So here we are."
Never Enough Pink
When these two looked so adorable in pink the first time around, it's no wonder that for the 2019 Kentucky Derby they decided to use the color as their theme once again. At this point, Dannielynn was entering her teenage years and looking more like her mom than ever.
Full of Color
Here are Dannielynn and Larry at the 2022 Kentucky Derby — and this time, she certainly made a splash with her colorful outfit and matching hat. In a 20/20 special that had aired the previous year, footage showed Dannielynn looking for the first time at items that belonged to her mother that her dad had saved for her.
"Anna should be remembered as this larger-than-life figure who was really a caring, giving person. A beautiful lady who loved her fans and loved her family," Larry said on the show.
Looking Formal
On the night before the 2023 event in Louisville, this father-daughter duo stepped out at the 149th Kentucky Derby Barnstable Brown Gala in their best formal attire, proving that these two can also do black tie events in style. Her striking top featured photographs of her mom from her famous Guess campaigns. "She's showing off her fashion sense but at the same time paying tribute to her mom," Larry told People of her outfit. "It came from a Guess collection that sold out, and [Dannielynn] saved it for a special occasion."
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Dannielynn Today
On May 6, 2023, Dannielynn, now 16 years old, was once again by her dad's side at the Kentucky Derby, looking like pure sunshine in this show-stopping dress. To make it even more special, she accessorized with a bracelet and necklace that once belonged to her mom.
