Larry Birkhead is opening up about the possibility of his daughter, Dannielynnfollowing in her late mother Anna Nicole Smith‘s famous footsteps—and he’s keeping it real.
In a candid conversation with AND! NewsBirkhead, 52, admitted that while he’s not pushing his daughter, 18, toward a career in modeling or acting, he’s not standing in her way either.
“I’m hesitant,” Birkhead said. “I’ll support her if she chooses it, but it’s not my first choice. Then again, it’s not my life.”
Birkhead explained that his hesitation has more to do with how others might perceive Dannielynn—who was born six months before her mom died of a fatal overdose in 2007—rather than her abilities or aspirations.
“People are quick to judge,” he continued. “They’ll say, ‘Oh, here she goes—following in her mom’s footsteps.’ And because her mom passed away, people attach a negative connotation to it.”
Still, as a father, he says he feels it’s his job to offer his daughter guidance.
“As a dad, my job is to say: ‘Here’s what you might face,'” Birkhead explained. “I worked as a reporter and photographer. I’ve seen the industry from the other side. I know what Anna went through. I just throw all that into a pot and say, ‘Are you sure this is what you want to do?’ I want her to make an informed decision.”
While Dannielynn is still exploring her interests, Birkhead is making sure she stays grounded with a solid backup plan.
“I always tell her: have an academic foundation as your main focus,” he said. “Do modeling or acting on the side, and if it takes off, then reassess. I had a lot of educators in my family—principals, teachers—so I’m trying to pass that along.”
To be sure of that, the duo has already been touring colleges.
“She has some ideas about where she wants to go and what she wants to do,” Birkhead shared. “There are a couple she’s really focused on.”
And while she’s dabbled in the arts, Birkhead said she’s just recently begun taking modeling and acting more seriously.
“She did some school plays, and the school gave her great feedback, but it’s only recently that she’s started thinking about modeling and acting again,” the MadTV actor noted.
As for how the father-daughter duo spent Father’s Day? Birkhead says he usually lets Dannielynn take the reins.
“She always asks what I want to do, but we can never decide on anything,” he quipped. “So, I flip it back to her, and it usually ends up being a theme park or some kind of fun adventure. This year, I think we’re doing Disney World, and probably hitting a water park too since it’s so hot.”
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