Speaking to People about her Derby style, he said people often expect Dannielynn to wear something connected with Anna Nicole, something she has done on several occasions.
This time, however, he said it was about Dannielynn showing her own sense of style, with his daughter describing the theme as « goth rock. »
Dannielynn’s appearances at the Barnstable Brown Gala have long marked different stages of her life. Larry has even described the annual tradition as a kind of « growth chart » for his daughter. | Source: Getty Images
The annual Kentucky Derby festivities carry another layer of meaning for the family. Larry met Anna Nicole there in 2003, and the pair began dating the following year. Larry has since called their yearly return to the event something of a « growth chart » for Dannielynn.
« We had a really great time, and it’s kind of been a tradition that we would go every year, » he previously said. « That’s where I met Anna Nicole Smith. And it’s something that I’ve taken my daughter back every year since. She’s old enough to kind of understand what it is. »
Growing up Mostly Outside the Spotlight
Anna Nicole died at 39 in 2007, just five months after Dannielynn was born. Following a paternity dispute, DNA testing ultimately confirmed Larry as Dannielynn’s father.
Since then, he has largely raised his only child away from the glare surrounding her mother’s celebrity, occasionally sharing updates around birthdays, Derby appearances, and other special moments.
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Larry has also said that Dannielynn reminds him of Anna Nicole in more ways than appearance, previously describing his daughter as « generous like her mom. »
Still, keeping Dannielynn away from entertainment completely may not always have been possible, particularly as she grew old enough to decide what she wanted for herself.
Anna Nicole Smith’s larger-than-life public image continues to shape the attention surrounding Dannielynn decades later. Yet Dannielynn has increasingly emphasized that while she treasures the connection to her mother, she also wants to be known for the person she is becoming. | Source: Getty Images
Larry Once Had ‘Mixed Feelings’ About Dannielynn Entering Entertainment
In May 2025, Larry revealed that his then-18-year-old daughter had begun showing an interest in modeling and acting after years of turning down such opportunities. Dannielynn had taken a year off before college and wanted to keep the school she planned to attend private.
« At the same time, she’s actually interested now … [in] starting to model and act after all these years of people asking her to do it and saying no, » Larry explained. « Now, she’s actually maybe wanting to put her foot in the water and say, ‘Is this something that I really want to do?' »
Larry admitted, « I have mixed feelings about it, but I want to be supportive. » « It’s totally opposite of what I had envisioned, » he continued. « But at the same time, it’s my job to be a supportive parent. I don’t want to be a stage parent. I’ll be a supportive parent. »
He also recognized that the decision increasingly belonged to Dannielynn herself. « At the end of the day, she’s 18 now, so I really don’t have any say, » Larry said at the time. « I mean, she listens to me, she trusts me in my guidance and everything. We’re such a team. »
