Melanie was born on August 9, 1957 as The birds Actress Tippi Hendren and Peter Griffith, an advertising executive. Unfortunately, her parents divorced when she was just two years old and Peter had two more children with his second wife.

Melanie’s half-sister Tracy Griffith is also an actress and has played alongside Melanie in films such as Crazy in AlabamaMelanie’s half-brother is set designer Clay Griffith.

Tippi and Melanie have remained close throughout their lives; she told People in 2000: “Melanie was always such a funny little person to be around; she was a very smart little girl… we just enjoyed having things together.” Tippi later married Noel Marshall, an agent and producer.

Melanie continued to work as a model and appeared in commercials, but it was not until 1973 that a chance encounter changed her life: She met 22-year-old Don Johnson when she was working as an extra on the set of The Harrad Experiment at just 14 years old, and the couple fell in love.

“I thought he was the most beautiful person I had ever seen,” said Melanie The Hollywood Reporter in 2017. The couple moved in together when she was 15 and got engaged when she turned 18 in 1976.

Accordingly PeopleThey spontaneously fled to Las Vegas: “Melanie called at about 4 or 5 in the morning. We swore eternal love, flew to Las Vegas and got married,” said Don. Unfortunately, the couple divorced just six months later.

Melanie got her first major role in 1975 at the tender age of 17; she played alongside Gene Hackman in the film Night movementsin which she played the runaway daughter of an actress and enjoyed great success. As her career was on the rise, Roar was released in 1981 and starred Melanie.

The controversial film took over ten years to produce and was deemed extremely dangerous as there were no regulations for working with wild animals such as lions. In one traumatic incident, Melanie was even attacked by a lion during filming, requiring facial reconstruction surgery.

Despite this experience, Melanie’s love for animals remained unchanged. She told People in 2010 that “working with all kinds of animals has enriched my life enormously.” Her mother has dedicated her life to conservation and animal rights and runs an animal sanctuary in California called Shambala Reserve.

The wedding bells rang a second time when Melanie met Steven Bauer on the set of her film She is now in the army in 1981. The couple quickly fell in love, married that same year and had their son Alexander in 1985.

Despite having famous parents, Alexander largely stayed out of the spotlight growing up. Between 2013 and 2015, he worked on two film projects and tried his hand at acting, writing and cinematography. Since then, however, he has retreated from the public eye.

In the 1980s, Melanie struggled with substance abuse, which caused tension in her marriage. In an interview with Vanity Fair that her addiction began as a child and that she drank wine “like a soft drink” to escape her pain.

“I was never loved unconditionally,” she said. “Coke and alcohol give you a feeling, a physical sensation… a buzz in your body that replaces something you should have had as a child.” Sadly, Melanie and Steven divorced in 1989.

Melanie’s main role in Working girls opposite Harrison Ford marked a turning point in her life and career. She checked herself into rehab in 1988 after arriving on set drunk and losing the film thousands of dollars due to rescheduled dates.

The actress got sober, was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe for her role. Her performance garnered critical acclaim, paving the way for more serious roles.

During this time, Melanie reconnected with her old flame Don and they remarried in June 1989. She told People about their love: “There was always this connection. I can’t explain it… It’s almost like soul mates, and it’s always been that way.”

“Sometimes I didn’t want it to be like this, and sometimes I didn’t want to love him,” she continued. “But maybe it was karma, and you have to go through all that to get to where we are now. It’s different now. It’s like the very beginning, but there’s so much more.”

In October, Melanie gave birth to her and Don’s only child, Dakota Johnson. We know and love her as the star of Fifty shades of greyand the mother-daughter duo remain close to this day.

Dakota’s parents initially tried to stop her from entering show business, Melanie told Vanity Fair: “I knew how difficult it is to navigate all aspects of filmmaking and I hope she learned some good tips from me! I think she did. But it’s Dakota’s self-confidence and her awareness of life, love and hard work that got her through some difficult times.”

Dakota also said Vanity Fair that her parents’ difficult marriage had a profound impact on her until their divorce in 1994. “I was incredibly lucky and privileged, and my life as a child was remarkable – the places I went, how we lived and what we were able to experience,” she said. “But we also had to deal with intra-family dynamics and situations and events that are so traumatic.”

Despite the divorce, Don and Melanie get along well. Don explained The Daily Telegraph in 2019: “If you love your children and want to share your life with them, it is foolish to disparage their mother or harbor animosity toward her. Children are more likely to be role models for you than they are to listen to you.”

Despite her three divorces, Melanie was not ready to give up on love; she met The Mask of Zorro Actor Antonio Banderas on the set of their film Two Much in 1995 and quickly fell in love.

Antonio told ABC News of the instant attraction the two felt, even though they were already married to other people at the time. “It was very, very fast and very compulsive, but at the same time we were committed to each other at the time,” he said.

“We tried to be as respectful as possible. We just thought this might be one of those infatuation moments we have when we’re making movies because we got to act together a few times, so let’s just go home.”

The two lovebirds were not only in love with each other; they married in an intimate ceremony in May 1996, a month after their respective divorces were finalized. Melanie gave birth to their daughter Stella in September of the same year.

Stella Banderas was born in her father’s home country of Spain and speaks Spanish herself. She is very close to her parents and siblings. When Dakota gave a speech in honor of Antonio at the Hollywood Film Awards, she made a special mention of her sister.

“When I was six, my mother married a man who brought an incredibly bright light and a whole new world of creativity and culture – and a remarkably magical little sister – into our family,” she raved.

Stella is no stranger to working with her parents; she has appeared as an extra alongside her mother in films, and Antonio has cast her as a second assistant director on his Spanish-language production of PursueToday she runs the beauty brand Lightbound, which she founded in 2021.

The 27-year-old raved about Melanie in a fashion Interview, where she is described as “fearless, fierce and radiant.” “My mother always stressed the importance of having a good, loving relationship with myself. One way she did that was to encourage me to have some kind of open dialogue with my higher self or God or the universe. She often says, ‘Ask for wisdom.'”

Melanie, in turn, praised her daughter, saying: “I’ve watched her transform from the sometimes scared little girl who was afraid to go to a new school into an amazing woman who starts her own business, does so many different things and is just so brave. And headstrong.”

Melanie and Antonio sadly separated in 2014 after nearly 20 years together due to irreconcilable differences. Their statement read: “We have thoughtfully and amicably decided to end our marriage of nearly 20 years.” They explained that they “separated in a loving and amicable manner, honoring and respecting each other, our family and friends, and the wonderful time we have spent together.”

Despite their shocking split, the two remain close; Antonio raved in a 2019 vulture Interview and said: “I’m no longer married to Melanie, but she is my family. She is probably one of my best friends, if not the best friend I have. My family is there: Dakota, little Estella and Alexander.”

Melanie continues to live peacefully with her ex-partners, she said People 2020: “All three are my friends. I love them with all my heart.” Even though her three children are all grown up now, she still sees them as often as possible.

“I have consciously spent and still spend a lot of time with my children. I talk to them about everything,” she said in a 2021 interview with The Sun. fashion Interview. “Stella is my youngest and I think she got the best version of me as a mother.”

Is there still romance in the air for the 67-year-old after four marriages? “I really don’t think that’s relevant to anyone anymore,” she said in an interview with InStyle“but especially when you’re 60, have four kids and are living the life you’ve always wanted.”

“Then why get married? It’s like I want to fall in love and have a romance or a relationship, but that’s not the case. I keep looking. I’ve had a few lovers, but no relationship.”

As for her career, she most recently starred alongside Dakota in the 2020 film The high tone and will play in the upcoming project AkilAccording to IMDb, it was written and directed by Antonio.