Dakota Johnson Is Playing Marilyn Monroe. Turns Out, They’re Actually Related
Recently published photos offering a first glimpse of Dakota Johnson’s striking portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in the upcoming short film Flesh Impact have justifiably sparked excitement. Amidst this buzz, our Research team discovered that the two stars are actually related:
The relationship path between Dakota Johnson and Marilyn Monroe, confirmed by MyHeritage’s Research team (click to zoom)
This family connection traces its origins to the 17th century, rooted in the lives of Richard Tydings (1638–1687) and Charity Tydings (1640–1687).
Born in England, the couple ventured across the Atlantic to forge a new legacy in Maryland, where they settled during the mid-1600s. They were among the earliest British colonists in Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties, Maryland, arriving during the initial decades of English settlement in North America.
From this shared foundation, the family tree split into two distinct lineages through their daughters, setting the stage for a cross-generational Hollywood bond.
The lineage leading to Dakota Johnson and her father, the actor Don Johnson, descends from the youngest daughter of Richard and Charity, Mary Dowell (born 1683).
In a parallel historical trajectory, the line of Mary’s elder sister, Pretitia (born 1675), winds through time to Marilyn Monroe and her mother, Gladys Mortenson.
Born Norma Jeane Mortenson in June 1, 1926, the screen icon would later reach back into her maternal heritage to adopt her mother’s maiden name: Monroe, presented in the path by her maternal grandmother Della Mae Monroe (1876–1927).
In doing so, she transformed a family surname into the most enduring moniker in cinematic history.
Tracing her lineage, we discovered that Monroe’s family history is deeply tied to the state of Kentucky. John Hogan (1756–1798), Monroe’s 4th great-grandfather, lived as a pioneering frontiersman during the state’s early years. Historical documentation reveals his involvement in scouting missions with Daniel Boone’s expedition in the late 1770s; he also played a pivotal role in creating a primary ferry service across the Kentucky River, facilitating the westward passage of early American settlers.
Dakota Johnson’s father is the actor Don Johnson (born 1949 as Donnie Wayne Johnson). His father, Freddie Wayne Johnson (1930–2017), established a life as a farmer in Flat Creek, Missouri. Their lineage goes further back in history to Captain Robert Samuel Brashear (1731–1816), the grandson of Mary Dowell. Captain Brashear was nicknamed “The Rolling Stone” because he migrated across Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee during his 84-year life. Born in Prince George’s County, Maryland, he carved a legacy on the American frontier, establishing early settlements on Buffalo Creek and the Reedy Fork of the Haw River in Guilford County, North Carolina.
In 1794, the family migrated to the Sugar Grove Valley in eastern Tennessee. Records identify him, alongside his sons and sons-in-law, among the earliest settlers of present-day Roane County, where he erected a formidable blockhouse of squared yellow poplar logs along Brashears Creek. His foundational presence in the region is officially recognized by the First Families of Tennessee.
The film Flesh Impact centers on an alternate-reality celebration of Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday, imagining a world where the Hollywood icon survived to reach her centennial milestone. Dakota Johnson will be stepping into the monumental role of portraying Monroe at the peak of her 1950s fame.
As our research shows, her striking resemblance to Monroe is far from coincidence.
Are any famous people hiding among the branches of your own family tree? Found out today on MyHeritage.
