On August 9, 1957, Melanie Griffith was born in New York City into the sparkle and glamour of Hollywood. Her parents were the iconic Tippi Hedren, best known for her part in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, and actor and producer Peter Griffith. Griffith’s journey on and off screen was impacted by her early exposure to the demands and extravagance of the Hollywood lifestyle.
Griffith recently remarked, “Growing up around the business, you realize very quickly that everything is about the show, the fame, and the image. But behind that, it’s a different story,” about her early exposure to the spotlight.
The Lion In The Living Room
Griffith had an unusual upbringing. Her mother married producer and agent Noah Marshall when she was barely seven years old, and the two of them quickly developed an unusual interest in African animals. An animal trainer advised them to invite a lion into their home to gain a better understanding of big cats. What was the outcome? In the 1970s, they brought a mature lion named Neil to Los Angeles as a pet.
Griffith thought back on this bizarre encounter, saying, “I grew up with lions, tigers, and two elephants. It was crazy. At the time, it felt normal, but looking back, it was stupid beyond belief.” Neil helped to create the famous picture of wild Hollywood life when he was seen slouching in bed with Griffith and her mother. Griffith claimed afterward that the incident educated her about the unpredictability of wild creatures, even though she avoided any injury from her feline cohabitant.
A Dangerous Romance: Meeting Don Johnson
Don Johnson, an actor eight years her elder, and Griffith started their first serious relationship when she was just 14 years old. Meeting on the set of The Harrad Experiment, the couple fell in love right away. At the time of their first meeting, Griffith remarked, “I thought he was the most beautiful person I had ever seen.”
Griffith’s mother was particularly concerned about the romance because of her little daughter. When Griffith became fifteen, the two eventually moved in together despite their initial concerns. They got married in Las Vegas on her eighteenth birthday, got divorced six months later, and then got back together.
A Lion Attack on Set
Just as Griffith’s career was beginning to take off, catastrophe struck. Griffith suffered a mauling on set from a lioness while making the 1981 movie Roar, which was based on the big animals her family reared. She needed plastic surgery after suffering a serious injury close to her eye. She later said, “The lioness didn’t mean to hurt me,” she later said. “But after growing up with them, I forgot that a single blow from one of these animals could be deadly.”
Griffith carried on with her acting career despite the terrifying occurrence, and in 1989 she starred in Working Girl, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award. She demonstrated the fortitude she brought to her roles both on and off screen by her ability to bounce back from such a painful experience.
Second Chances in Love
Like her career, Griffith’s love life was complicated. In 1981, following her divorce from Don Johnson, she wed the actor Steven Bauer. Alexander, their son, was born, but the marriage failed in 1989. Soon after, Johnson and Griffith were reunited, and that year they welcomed Dakota Johnson as a daughter. In 1996, Griffith and Johnson were divorced once more. Years later, Griffith declared, “I will always love [Don Johnson],” Griffith said years later. “But just because you love someone doesn’t necessarily mean that you can live with them.”
A New Chapter With Antonio Banderas
The next great love of Griffith’s life was Antonio Banderas, the Spanish romantic. Both of them were recently divorced when they first met on the set of Two Much in 1995. They grew close fast and got married in 1996. The same year that Banderas welcomed Stella, Griffith’s daughter, they welcomed him into their family as his own.
“Dakota and Alexander needed someone they could rely on, and Antonio became that person for them,” said Griffith. Despite his split from Griffith in 2014, Banderas and his stepchildren still have a close relationship. As Banderas famously remarked, “Melanie will always be my family. She’s one of my best friends, if not the best.”
Melanie’s Health Battles and Advocacy
Griffith had to fight non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2010. She later disclosed a second health crisis in 2018 after requiring surgery to remove a malignant tumor from her nose. “It’s terrifying when your face is part of your career,” Griffith said. “But you push through, and now I’m just grateful to be here.” These days, Griffith actively supports Children’s Hospital Los Angeles by using her platform to promote cancer awareness.
Legacy And Future
Griffith gave up performing at the age of 65 to devote more time to her family. It is said that she is writing a memoir, which will undoubtedly contain many of the amazing stories from her life. Growing up surrounded by lions and enduring the demands of Hollywood, Griffith’s tale exemplifies perseverance, exploration, and self-reinvention.
Griffith is ecstatic that her daughter, Dakota Johnson, has continued in her footsteps. She once remarked, “Watching Dakota become the incredible actress and woman she is today is the greatest gift I could ask for.” Melanie Griffith is still a legendary character in Hollywood, despite her prominence waning, because of her on-screen personas and her struggles.
