16 years after her death, the name of Anna Nicole Smith still stands for fame and controversy. She was a model, an actress, and a television personality who first gained popularity when she won the title of 1993 Playmate of the Year after posing for Playboy magazine.
“I love the paparazzi,” she once told the Washington Post.
“They take pictures, and I just smile away. I’ve always liked the attention. I didn’t get very much growing up, and I always wanted to be, you know, noticed.”
Sadly, the life of glamour took its toll. Smith married petroleum tycoon J. Howard Marshall who was 63 years her senior. This relationship wasn’t just controversial, but a high-profile one and many believe it marked the start of Smith’s downfall. Six months after tying the knot, then 90-year-old Marshal died.
Following his passing, Smith and Marshal’s family got involved in a long and controversial legal battle over his fortune and assets. The case ultimately went as high as the US Supreme Court in 2006.
In 2007, a tragedy struck beautiful Smith died of overdose in 2007, just a few months after she gave birth to her baby daughter Dannielynn. After her death, several men claimed to be the baby’s dad and after paternity tests were ordered, Larry Birkhead got paternity rights.
Today, Dannielynn is all grown up and resembles both her mom and her dad. In fact, she got the best of both and is a real beauty.
Larry takes great care of his daughter and shares adorable photos of the fun time they spend together. They live in Kentucky and Larry makes sure his daughter’s life is as normal as possible. She attends a public school and has a lot of friends.
Speaking of her likes and dislikes and what makes her happy, Larry says Dannielynn wants to follow into her late mom’s footsteps when it comes to acting.
The girl once said, “It’s really cool to like, act as a character and not yourself. It’s like portraying a new person. It’s fun.” She and her dad have appeared on several shows such as ‘Life after Anna’, ‘Wife Swap‘, and ‘The Millionaire Matchmaker.’
Dannielynn wants to try herself as a YouTuber, but her dad thinks she’s way too young to be doing something like that. He wants her to stay out of the spotlight and enjoy her teen years the way her friends do. Speaking to US Weekly, Larry said, “If it’s something you want to do when you get older, you can, but right now let’s sell some Girl Scout cookies.”
Some years ago, an unnamed source told National Enquirer, “Anna Nicole was seduced by the showbiz lifestyle, and Larry wants to make sure Dannielynn doesn’t end up like her. “[Anna Nicole was] chasing stardom and surrounded by greedy hangers-on.”
However, Larry does his best to keep the memory of Smith alive. Last year, Dannielynn paid tribute to her mom by wearing her heat from her appearance at the Kentucky Derby in 2004 and a pink dress. The resemblance with her mom is there, although as she grows older, Dannielynn seems to be taking more after her dad.
Speaking of her character, Larry told Fox News, “She’s fun and fearless like her mom was. She’s a good kid. I’m just happy that I’ve been able to spend all the time I have been able to have with her.”
At the Barnstable Brown Gala that took place ahead of the Derby, the now-17-year-old wore a blouse with photographs of her mom. Larry wore a tie featuring the same images.
“She’s showing off her fashion sense but at the same time paying tribute to her mom,” Larry said. He added that he and his daughter had decided to pay tribute to Anna Nicole Smith because it marked the 20th anniversary of the day he had met the model back in 2003. At the time, he was a photographer covering the event.
The late model’s clothes are in Larry’s possession so Dannielynn often goes through them.
“And everything she has of her mom’s is cataloged in storage, with photos of the event where she wore it,” Larry revealed.
“So someday, she can give them to her kids if she wants to.”
We hope Dannielynn will fulfill all her dreams.
There are hints that Pete Wicks and Maura Higgins might be secretly dating after they spoke up following a drunken kiss.
Pete Wicks and Maura Higgins shared a kiss at this year’s glamorous Pride of Britain event. The Mirror looks back at their flirty past, which includes cozy lunches and moments where they shared “intense” looks.
After months of rumors, Pete Wicks and Maura Higgins confirmed their relationship with a kiss, even though Pete had said earlier that night he was “single.” According to The Mirror, the two were seen kissing and getting close at the Pride of Britain afterparty at the Red Bar in London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.
This news probably won’t shock fans, as there have been rumors about Pete and Maura for a while. Meanwhile, Pete, 35, has also faced a lot of attention over his friendship with his Strictly Come Dancing partner, Jowita Przystal, because their strong chemistry made fans wonder if there was more going on. The Mirror looks back at Pete and Maura’s flirty history and their playful moments together.
Close Conversation
This isn’t the first time Pete and Maura seemed close at the Pride of Britain Awards. At the 2023 event, they were seen having a deep conversation and sharing looks that hinted at something more than just friendship.
Maura broke up with her Hollywood stuntman boyfriend, Bobby Holland Hanton, in March, and Pete, known for his playboy image, has been single for a while. Though he has a reputation as a womanizer, Pete has spoken openly about wanting to settle down. In a recent interview with The Times, he said, “I’m nearly 36. I want to get married and have kids. I’ve had many great opportunities, but what’s the point if I can’t share them with someone?” He also admitted that he’s not ready for a serious relationship yet because he’s still figuring himself out.
Maura has been a strong supporter of Pete. In September, she cheered him on when he released his memoir Never Enough: My Words Unfiltered by posting “Proud of you” on her Instagram story.
The two have also been seen having fun trying out dance moves on TikTok, with Maura getting into the spirit as Pete continues on Strictly Come Dancing.
Lunch Kiss
In August, Pete and Maura were spotted enjoying a cozy outdoor lunch at the Broadwick Soho Hotel. Even though it was a public place, they didn’t hold back when it came to kissing. Pete reportedly arrived about an hour after Maura, who was with friends. An eyewitness told The Sun that after sitting for a while, Maura leaned in for a long, passionate kiss with Pete, which was more than just a friendly peck. The source added that they could barely take their eyes off each other, with Pete keeping his arm around Maura all evening. They looked very much in love and weren’t trying to hide it.
Intense Looks
After photos of them in Soho went public, body language expert Judi James commented that they seemed “equally smitten” with each other, which is rare for celebrities. She told The Mirror that when famous reality stars like Maura and Pete start a relationship, it often looks one-sided or staged, where one person seems more interested than the other. But in their case, Judi noted that their eye contact and gazes at each other looked balanced and intense. This kind of connection is unusual for reality stars, as one usually looks captivated while the other might be distracted by cameras.
Making Light of Rumors
They also seem to be having fun with the rumors about their relationship.
Maura responded to the gossip with some playful humor by wearing a t-shirt featuring the photo that got everyone talking, along with the slogan “We can’t be friends.”
She wore the shirt while supporting Pete and his friend Sam Thompson during their live podcast recording at Hammersmith Apollo. Maura shared a picture of herself in the shirt on her Instagram Story and wrote, “Hilarious night… You smashed it!”
Podcast probe
Pete recently chatted with Olivia Attwood, a former star from TOWIE, on her podcast So Wrong It’s Right, where she asked him about his relationship with Maura. Olivia, 33, didn’t hold back and directly asked, “Your dating life. Maura Higgins?” Pete responded, “Me and Maura have known each other for a long time.”
Olivia kept pushing, saying, “You’ve had a kiss; we’ve seen it!” Pete replied, “No, you haven’t seen it.” Olivia wasn’t letting him off the hook, adding, “We’ve seen a picture of it.” She then asked, “Are you and your dance partner romantically involved?”
Pete burst out laughing and exclaimed, “My God!” Olivia said, “You don’t get awards by not asking the questions!” Instead of answering, Pete joked, “One of the biggest problems is my b******.” He added, “I have to wear Spanx… otherwise, Shirley will end up with a couple of black eyes!”
After party kiss
Even though Pete and Maura haven’t talked much about their clear chemistry, people at the Pride of Britain Awards noticed their feelings for each other. Maura was seen giving Pete a sweet kiss on the nose, followed by a kiss on the lips.
An attendee told The Mirror that they overheard Pete talking about being single at the afterparty, despite their affectionate behavior. The guest said, “Pete did seem cozy with Maura at times, but he wasn’t shy about telling people he was single. He proudly declared he was single on the red carpet during interviews and even joked about not being in a relationship at the bar after the awards.”
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