Dannielynn Birkhead Net Worth

What is Dannielynn Birkhead's net worth?

Dannielynn Birkhead is the daughter of the late American Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith and freelance celebrity photographer Larry Birkhead. Dannielynn Birkhead's net worth is $3 million. That net worth is a combined figure with her father Larry. As we detail later in this article, Dannielynn did not inherit a significant amount of money from her mother. She also did not receive any money from her late mother's fight over a roughly $450 million inheritance she believed she was owed thanks to a brief marriage to billionaire J. Howard Marshall.

Raised by her father in Louisville, Kentucky, Dannielynn largely grew up away from the Hollywood limelight, though her childhood was periodically punctuated by public appearances, primarily at the annual Kentucky Derby. Larry Birkhead worked hard to provide Dannielynn a normal upbringing while also honoring the memory of her late mother.

Early Life

Dannielynn Birkhead was born on September 7, 2006, in Nassau, Bahamas, Dannielynn was immediately in the limelight due to her mother's fame. Her birth was followed by tragedy when her older half-brother, Daniel Wayne Smith, died suddenly just three days later.

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When Dannielynn was five months old, her mother also passed away, making national headlines. The controversies surrounding her mother's life and death caused Dannielynn to be the center of attention from a very early age.

Paternity

Several men came forward and claimed to be her father including American attorney Howard K. Stern who was Anna Nicole's live-in partner at the time of her death on February 8, 2007. Smith's personal bodyguard/fitness instructor Alexander Denk and German-born socialite and current husband of actress Zsa Zsa Gabor Frederic Prinz von Anhalt were also among the men who claimed to be Dannielynn's father.

After a protracted legal battle, DNA testing confirmed photographer Larry Birkhead was Dannielynn's biological father, leading to a court granting him full custody in April 2007.

Dannielynn Birkhead Inheritance

According to the latest court ruling, Dannielynn Birkhead will NOT receive any of the $450 million inheritance from J. Howard Marshall's estate. Anna Nicole Smith claimed that the inheritance was promised to her by the late billionaire with a verbal agreement. After nearly 15 years of lawsuits that outlived J. Howard Marshall, Anna Nicole Smith and J. Howard Marshall's son, an appeals court in Texas ruled that the billionaire never actually intended to leave everything to Smith.

Estate Control

In 2008, a Los Angeles court formally declared Dannielynn the sole heir to her mother's estate and established a trust in her name. The estate was co-managed by Larry Birkhead and Howard K. Stern, until September 2024 when Danielynn turned 18.

All likeness rights and other intellectual property associated with Anna Nicole Smith are now controlled by her estate. In legal terms, Smith's "right of publicity" – the right to control commercial use of her name, image, and persona – survived her death and became part of her estate's assets. In fact, Smith's estate "obtained the rights to Anna Nicole Smith [her name, image, and likeness] after her tragic passing on February 8, 2007," meaning the estate owns and holds exclusive rights to her image and brand. These rights include her stage name, photographs and recognizable likeness, signature, and any other elements of her identity that can be used promotionally.

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Recent Developments and Legal Disputes

In recent years, Smith's estate has been involved in both enforcing her likeness rights and partnering on legacy projects. A high-profile example came in 2020, when the estate filed a lawsuit against beauty influencer Jeffree Star's cosmetics company for using Anna Nicole's name and image without approval. According to court documents, Jeffree Star Cosmetics was selling products – including a best-selling lipstick shade called "Anna Nicole" (a vibrant red color reminiscent of Smith's signature look) – and using Smith's name, image, and likeness to advertise and sell those items. While the specific settlement or outcome was not publicized, reports indicate that the contested "Anna Nicole" lipstick was discontinued, suggesting the dispute was resolved with the estate's rights being acknowledged.

Conversely, the estate has shown willingness to cooperate with authorized projects that honor Anna Nicole Smith's legacy. For instance, in 2021 fashion brand GUESS – for which Smith was an iconic model in the 1990s – launched a special "GUESS Originals x Anna Nicole Smith" collection celebrating her style.

Media Appearances

In 2012, at age six, Dannielynn followed in her mother's footsteps by modeling for Guess Kids, making headlines as her mother had been a famous Guess model in the 1990s. This move drew both acclaim and criticism, given her young age and her mother's history. However, the assignment was a one-off gig and was not indicative of a full-fledged modeling career.

As a teenager, Dannielynn, along with her father, featured in a Lifetime documentary, "Hopelessly in Love: Anna Nicole Smith and Larry Birkhead," providing an in-depth look at the relationship between her parents. She also made occasional appearances on reality television and talk shows.