Dannielynn Birkhead paid emotional tribute to her late mom, Anna Nicole Smith, at the 2025 Barnstable Brown Gala on May 2. The 18-year-old has largely grown up out of the spotlight, but each year at the Gala leading up to the Kentucky Derby,

During an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the photographer, 52, shared that after taking a year off, the 18-year-old is going to be starting college soon and may want to pursue a career in modeling and acting.

The 18-year-old wore a dress to a gala that Anna Nicole Smith wore more than 20 years, and chose a pastel gown by Mac Duggal for the Churchill Downs red carpet.