Grace Johnson: Don Johnson’s daughter, Gucci model, and Dakota Johnson’s sister
Grace Johnson, born Atherton Grace on 28 December 1999, is an American model and actress signed to IMG Models. She is the eldest child of Miami Vice actor Don Johnson and his wife Kelley Phleger, and the half-sister of Dakota Johnson and Jesse Johnson.
She spent most of her childhood out of public view in Santa Barbara. Then in 2024 she walked for Gucci in Milan, and the questions started.
Quick facts
| Full name | Atherton Grace Johnson |
| Born | 28 December 1999 |
| Age | 26 |
| Profession | Model, actress |
| Agency | IMG Models |
| Father | Don Johnson, actor |
| Mother | Kelley Phleger, former teacher |
| Full siblings | Jasper Breckinridge Johnson (b. 2002), Deacon Johnson (b. 2006) |
| Half-siblings | Dakota Johnson, Jesse Wayne Johnson |
| Raised in | Santa Barbara, California |
| Runway debut | 2019, Christian Cowan x The Powerpuff Girls, Los Angeles |
A childhood away from Hollywood
Grace was born eight months after her parents married in 1999. Don Johnson had met Kelley Phleger at a birthday party for San Francisco mayor Willie Brown while filming Nash Bridges, and Brown later officiated their wedding.
The family settled in Santa Barbara rather than Los Angeles, and Grace was raised largely out of the spotlight. She made only rare public appearances with her father, mostly red carpets like the 2018 premiere of Book Club. She was an athlete in her school years.
That distance from the industry is unusual for a child of a famous actor, and it explains why she was relatively unknown until her mid-twenties.
The Johnson family tree
Don Johnson has five children with three different women.
| Child | Born | Mother | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jesse Wayne Johnson | Dec 1982 | Patti D’Arbanville | Actor, Twin Peaks |
| Dakota Johnson | Oct 1989 | Melanie Griffith | Actress, Fifty Shades of Grey |
| Atherton Grace Johnson | Dec 1999 | Kelley Phleger | Model, actress |
| Jasper Breckinridge Johnson | Jun 2002 | Kelley Phleger | Sports |
| Deacon Johnson | Apr 2006 | Kelley Phleger | Basketball |
Of the three children Don Johnson shares with Kelley Phleger, Grace is the only one who has pursued work in entertainment.
Her mother, Kelley Phleger
Kelley Phleger was born in San Francisco in June 1969 and worked as a Montessori nursery teacher before marrying. She has stayed deliberately private since, and rarely gives interviews. The couple have been married since 1999.
Her modelling career
Her professional path has been slower and quieter than most nepo-baby careers, which is worth noting.
- 2019. She made her runway debut at the Christian Cowan x The Powerpuff Girls show in Los Angeles.
- 2021. She appeared in Gucci’s Love Parade show, staged on Hollywood Boulevard.
- September 2024. She walked for Gucci’s spring/summer 2025 show in Milan.
She is signed to IMG Models, the agency that also represents Gigi Hadid and Karlie Kloss.
At both Gucci shows her half-sister Dakota was in the audience, seated as a Gucci ambassador in her own right. That detail says something about how the family operates: the connection is there, but Grace walked the show on an IMG contract.
Her acting work
Modelling came first, but acting appears to be where her interest has settled.
She starred in the 2024 short film Tacenda, playing a character named Dillion. The film screened at the Dances with Films festival, and she has said the experience is what convinced her to pursue acting seriously. Her other credits are the shorts Blame Baby: Headcase and Hard2Care: Can’t Sleep Interlude.
She has also spoken about taking acting and photography classes and about wanting to build a life in New York rather than Los Angeles.
Her relationship with Dakota Johnson
The two are close, and Grace has been open about it.
Dakota encouraged her to try modelling in the first place. Grace has described her relationship with Dakota as complicated in the best way, because Dakota is not only her sister but her closest friend. She has named Dakota and Stella Banderas, Melanie Griffith’s daughter with Antonio Banderas, as the two she she goes to for advice.
She has also been clear that she wants to find her own path rather than follow anyone else’s.
Her net worth
No verified figure exists.
The numbers circulating for her online carry no source, because none is available. She is an early-career model and actress who has never made a financial disclosure. Figures published for her father’s wealth are not hers, and estimates that treat family money as personal net worth are not measuring anything.
Where she is now
She turned 25 in December 2024 and celebrated with a Beauty and the Beast-themed party alongside her parents and siblings. She continues to model, has moved toward acting, and posts occasionally on Instagram.
She remains far less visible than her half-sister, which appears to be the point.
FAQs
Who is Grace Johnson?
An American model and actress, born Atherton Grace Johnson. She is Don Johnson’s third child.
Is she related to Dakota Johnson?
Yes. They are half-sisters, sharing father Don Johnson.
How old is she?
She was born on 28 December 1999, making her 26 in 2026.
Who is her mother?
Kelley Phleger, a former Montessori teacher who married Don Johnson in 1999.
What agency does she model for?
IMG Models, which also represents Gigi Hadid and Karlie Kloss.
Has she walked for Gucci?
Yes, twice: the Love Parade show in 2021 and the spring/summer 2025 show in Milan in September 2024.
Is she an actress?
Yes. She starred in the 2024 short film Tacenda and has two other short-film credits.
How many siblings does she have?
Four: brothers Jasper and Deacon, and half-siblings Dakota and Jesse Johnson.
What is her net worth?
No verified figure has been published. Estimates online are unsourced.
The short version
She had every shortcut available and took almost none of them. She grew up in Santa Barbara instead of Los Angeles and stayed off red carpets through her teens. She signed with an agency on her own contract, and waited until 2024 to walk a major Milan show.
The acting is the newer move, and the short films suggest she is building it the slow way too. For a name that appears in six different Wikipedia entries, she is the one currently doing the most to earn her own.
JacksonPadilla is a writer at Around Celebrities, covering celebrity families, relationships, biographies, and the stories behind the stars. With a focus on clear and engaging storytelling, Kole helps readers discover the people and connections beyond the spotlight.
