Without a doubt, one of the most interesting and charismatic actors of all time is Don Johnson. But
it’s not just his characters who have been wild – he’s also lived quite a wild life.
He’s enjoyed a lot of fame but he’s since looked back and felt that fame can often
trap people – in the same way that a prison can. In fact, the trappings of fame got to him
and caused him to have many problems in his personal life including financial troubles.
But of course, he managed sort out his financial troubles here and there. In fact,
he was once caught with $8 billion! Yes – you heard that right. If there’s one
life that can be described as a rollercoaster, it’s Don Johnsons!
Don Johnson is 73, Look at Him Now After He Lost All His Money...
DON JOHNSON’S LIFE AND CAREER
Don Johnson was born on December 15, 1949, in Flat Creek, Missouri, and is an American actor
and producer who has become one of the greatest careers in both film and television. He’s 73 and
he’s a living legend. Though, things aren’t quite easy for him right now and they never have been.
At the age of six, Don Johnson's family relocated to Wichita,
Kansas. Life in Wichita wasn’t easy. His parents were both teenagers when he was
born and he grew up in poverty in Wichita. He found refuge in acting. He participated in school
plays and local theater productions – where he began to hone his craft.
He began his acting career in the 1970s and had a few small film
roles. This helped him build his acting chops but didn’t really do
much to further his career. He was becoming a familiar face but not a
recognized face. He was “that guy from that movie or that TV episode” but no one really knew his
name. The big change for this Wichita boy happened in the 1980s when he made a trip down to Florida!
Don Johnson's breakthrough came in the 1980s when he landed the iconic role of Detective
Sonny Crockett in the hit television series "Miami Vice." The show and his character
became so popular that Don Johnson became an international star almost overnight.
Following the success of "Miami Vice," Johnson ventured into film and showcased his range as
an actor. One of his most notable roles was in the 1988 film "Sweet Hearts Dance," which was a
romantic comedy. This came on the back of several dramatic roles in both film
and television. It showed very early on that he had tremendous range as an actor.
In 1996, Johnson made a much-awaited return to television with the lead role in the legal drama
series "Nash Bridges." He played Nas Bridges – an inspector in the San Francisco Police Department.
The show was extremely popular and showed once again that Don Johnson was the king of television.
Throughout his career, Johnson has also been involved in a variety of other television and film
projects, showcasing his versatility. He appeared in movies such as "Tin Cup" (1996) alongside Kevin
Costner and "Django Unchained" (2012) directed by Quentin Tarantino. In addition, he made guest
appearances on popular TV shows like "Eastbound & Down" and "From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series."
Don Johnson's early life and career illustrate his passion for acting and
his commitment to honing his craft. From his breakthrough role in "Miami Vice" to
his memorable performances in films and subsequent successful television series,
he has consistently captivated audiences with his charisma and talent.
With a versatile and enduring career, Don Johnson has solidified his place
as one of the most beloved and iconic actors in the industry.
Sounds good so far? Well, now things are going to get interesting…
DON JOHNSON’S WILD LIFE
Don Johnson has enjoyed many of the benefits that fame has brought him. But he’s also suffered due
to his celebrity status. He has gone on record to say that fame feels like a prison. He’s also
felt trapped due to his substance abuse and his womanizing. He felt that the constant
scrutiny by the public became overwhelming and that he couldn’t stand it after some time.
Don Johnson has openly discussed the temptations that come with fame and the fact that he has
indulged in them. He stated that there are negative consequences to fame and after a while,
it becomes exhausting and takes its toll on one’s life. He hasn’t enjoyed the loss of his privacy
nor has he enjoyed being constantly “papped” by the paparazzi. And in fact, one of the most
uncomfortable moments in his life got widespread attention and made his life much more difficult.
In November 2002, Don Johnson was caught up in a rather odd situation in Germany.
Customs officials discovered that Johnson had a suitcase that contained credit notes
and securities. This in itself isn’t particularly strange so we’ll move on.
Actually, no wait, those credit notes and securities were worth
$8 billion! Yes – you heard that right. $8 Billion!
Don Johnson’s lawyer made the case that these documents were
related to a film deal he was trying to complete while in Europe. There was
no evidence that Don Johnson had committed any crimes and no charges were filed. But of course,
the sensationalism from the press was enough to hurt his reputation. He had
been suspected of money laundering and that was enough to hurt his reputation.
So how did this fiasco begin? It began when Don Johnson was traveling to Switzerland
along with his PA and a local financial advisor. They wanted to meet American
investors for future film projects. Don Johnson was given financial documents by
these investors and he traveled to Germany with them. This is where the controversy
began. While he was cleared of all charges, this had caused issues with two of his bank
accounts – and of course, caused so many issues with his mental health.
Eventually, he recovered from this incident but it did cause a lot of turmoil in his
personal life. For many years he drank lots of alcohol and eventually went sober. Later,
he stated that he never expected that he’d make it till the age of 30 – so
he’s glad that he’s in his 70s now and is still living a full life.
And of course, whenever the media can create a controversy, they’ll do it. While at the height
of his stardom in the 80s, he happened to meet an entrepreneur. He spoke to that entrepreneur
for about 20 minutes and a photo was taken of the two. Decades later that photo resurfaced
and questions arose on Don Johnson’s relationship with that entrepreneur. By the way, we’re talking
about Donald Trump. Due to the controversies surrounding the President, the media wanted
to find a way to create a controversy with Don Johnson. This time, however, they didn’t succeed!
DON JOHNSON’S LEGACY
Don Johnson has stated that earning lots of money had changed his life – sometimes for the better
and sometimes for the worse. He would sometimes spoil himself and his family by buying an excess
of gifts. After all, one must remember that he grew up in poverty. He sometimes spent so much
money that he couldn’t pay his bills and would take almost everything on credit. In fact, he
once owed over 5 grand to his local supermarket! He even had a small debt of just 50 bucks that he
couldn’t pay off. Not to mention debt that he owed for his satellite connection and hospital fees.
It took him years to settle his debts and he had to take on roles that weren’t always to his liking
just to pay them off. His financial troubles were just some of his troubles. He suffered from drug
and alcohol abuse for many years and had to go to rehab just to kick it off. He also had many failed
marriages, especially with Melanie Griffith. Yet these troubles have also made him resilient.
While some parts of his life were undoubtedly stressful and one can
get stressed just learning about it – he has lived a full life and he has lived a rich life.
Don Johnson has made many great friends during his career. He and his Miami Vice
co-star Philip Michael Thomas remain friends to this day. He was also very
close friends with the late writer Hunter S. Thompson. He acted in the film “Knives
Out” directed by Rian Johnson which became a huge hit and saw a revival of his career.
While he was part of an ensemble that included many other great actors including Daniel Craig,
Jamie Lee Curtis, M. Emmet Walsh, and Ana de Armas – at the end of the day,
audiences were still happy to see the Don in action!
Don Johnson has amassed 102 credits as an actor, 11 as a producer, and 2 as a director.
He’s got 4 upcoming projects as an actor. He revived his role as Nash Bridges in a 2021
TV movie and while there was a movie based on the Miami Vice TV series – it simply couldn’t
hold up to the original show – proving that he truly defined the role of Detective Crockett.
Don Johnson has had his struggles throughout his life but even at
73 there’s still a lot he has to offer. In other words, Mr. Johnson is still the Don!
Are you a fan of Don Johnson? Did you know about his personal life and the
struggles he went through during the ups and downs of his career?
In fact, here’s what we’d like to hear from you:
Do you think that living a fast life can destroy most actors and ruin their careers?
Or do these raucous lifestyles help further an actor’s career
due to the controversy and endless publicity?