Deacon James Johnson is the youngest son of actor Don Johnson and Kelley Phleger. Born on April 29, 2006, he is 20 years old as of 2026 and is part of a prominent entertainment family that includes his paternal half-sister, actress Dakota Johnson. Don Johnson and Phleger have three children together: Grace, Jasper, and Deacon.
Although his family has longstanding ties to Hollywood, Deacon Johnson has not established a public acting career. Available information instead points to his education, athletics, youth mentorship work, and interest in music and technology. He grew up primarily in Santa Barbara, California, and later attended The Thacher School in Ojai.
Public attention surrounding Deacon largely comes from his relationship to Don and Dakota Johnson. However, documented school and community activities provide a clearer picture of his own interests and early accomplishments.
Deacon Johnson Profile Summary
| Profile Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Deacon James Johnson |
| Date of Birth | April 29, 2006 |
| Age | 20 years old as of 2026 |
| Birthplace | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Raised In | Santa Barbara, California |
| Father | Don Johnson |
| Mother | Kelley Phleger |
| Full Siblings | Atherton Grace Johnson, Jasper Breckenridge Johnson |
| Paternal Half-Siblings | Jesse Wayne Johnson, Dakota Johnson |
| Education | The Thacher School; University of Southern California |
| Known For | Son of Don Johnson and younger half-brother of Dakota Johnson |
| Public Activities | Education, youth mentorship, athletics, music and technology |
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Deacon Johnson Early Life and Background
Deacon Johnson was born on April 29, 2006, as the youngest child of Don Johnson and Kelley Phleger. His birthday also falls on his parents’ wedding anniversary; Don Johnson and Phleger married on April 29, 1999.
He grew up in Santa Barbara, California, alongside his older full siblings, Atherton Grace Johnson and Jasper Breckenridge Johnson. Despite the family’s connection to film and television, Deacon spent much of his childhood outside the professional entertainment spotlight. Family posts referenced by established publications have shown him playing piano and guitar and attending sporting events.
Deacon Johnson’s Parents and Family
Deacon’s father, Don Johnson, is an actor widely associated with television series such as Miami Vice and Nash Bridges. Deacon’s mother, Kelley Phleger, married Johnson in 1999. The couple’s three children are Grace, Jasper, and Deacon.
Don Johnson also has two older children from previous relationships. Jesse Wayne Johnson is his son with Patti D’Arbanville, while Dakota Johnson is his daughter with actress Melanie Griffith. Therefore, Dakota Johnson is Deacon’s paternal half-sister rather than his full sister.
Dakota has developed an international acting career through films including Fifty Shades of Grey, Suspiria, and The Peanut Butter Falcon. Deacon, by comparison, has so far followed a more private path centered on education and community activities.
Deacon Johnson’s Education
Deacon attended The Thacher School in Ojai, California. School-related records identify him as a member of the Class of 2024, and Thacher’s own alumni material lists Deacon Johnson as an alumnus from 2024.
His high-school years also included athletics. A MaxPreps record connected with Thacher lists him as having participated in varsity basketball, football, and baseball.
Following high school, Deacon became associated with the University of Southern California. His name appears on the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy’s Fall 2025 Dean’s List. The Academy states that students receiving this recognition must earn a GPA of at least 3.5 while completing 12 or more units of letter-graded coursework during the semester.
Deacon Johnson Career and Professional Journey
Deacon Johnson does not currently have a documented professional acting career or established filmography. This distinction is important because his family background can lead to assumptions that he has entered the entertainment industry.
His publicly documented experience instead includes education, youth mentorship, community leadership, athletics, and technology-related interests.
Deacon Johnson and the Riviera Mentorship Project
During his time at The Thacher School, Deacon was listed as a co-founder and co-president of the Riviera Mentorship Project Santa Barbara.
The initiative was created by a group of local high-school students and focused on connecting high-school mentors with younger middle-school students. Its stated goal was to create supportive relationships and help younger participants navigate educational and social challenges.
Deacon’s involvement provides documented evidence of leadership and community participation during his high-school years rather than a career based primarily on his family’s public profile.
Deacon Johnson’s Work With Kids STEP UP
Deacon has also been associated with Kids STEP UP, an organization focused on academic enrichment and youth support.
The organization’s team profile identifies Deacon James Johnson as Director of its Ojai branch and one of the original tutors in its summer program. It also states that he has worked on developing curricula in coding and programming education.
This work reflects interests in education and technology while extending the youth-mentorship experience he developed during high school.
Deacon Johnson’s Interests in Music and Sports
Music has also appeared regularly in publicly shared glimpses of Deacon’s life. His parents have shared images or videos showing him playing piano and guitar.
Sports formed another part of his school experience. His Thacher athletic profile documents participation in basketball, football, and baseball. These activities offer factual context about his interests without suggesting that he pursued professional athletics.
Deacon Johnson Major Achievements and Recognition
Unlike relatives who have earned recognition in film, television, or modeling, Deacon Johnson’s documented achievements so far are primarily academic and community-based.
One notable accomplishment was co-founding and serving as co-president of the Riviera Mentorship Project Santa Barbara while attending Thacher. The project connected older and younger students through structured mentorship and community support.
His work with Kids STEP UP represents another example of youth-focused community involvement. Serving as Director of the organization’s Ojai branch and participating in tutoring and curriculum development demonstrate responsibilities beyond his status as a celebrity family member.
Academically, Deacon’s name appears on the USC Iovine and Young Academy’s Fall 2025 Dean’s List. That recognition is based on the Academy’s stated academic requirements and is among the clearest publicly documented distinctions connected with his university studies.
These achievements indicate that Deacon’s early public record is more closely connected with education, community service, technology, and student activities than with professional entertainment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Deacon Johnson
Who is Deacon Johnson?
Deacon James Johnson is the youngest son of actor Don Johnson and Kelley Phleger. He is also the paternal half-brother of actress Dakota Johnson.
How old is Deacon Johnson?
Deacon Johnson was born on April 29, 2006. He turned 20 on April 29, 2026.
Is Deacon Johnson Dakota Johnson’s brother?
Yes. Deacon Johnson is Dakota Johnson’s paternal half-brother. They share the same father, Don Johnson. Dakota’s mother is Melanie Griffith, while Deacon’s mother is Kelley Phleger.
Who are Deacon Johnson’s siblings?
Deacon has two full siblings, Atherton Grace Johnson and Jasper Breckenridge Johnson. Through his father, he also has two older half-siblings, Jesse Wayne Johnson and Dakota Johnson.
What does Deacon Johnson do?
Deacon’s documented activities are primarily connected to education and community work. He attended The Thacher School, has been associated with USC’s Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy, co-founded the Riviera Mentorship Project Santa Barbara, and has worked with Kids STEP UP. No established professional acting career has been documented.
Conclusion
Deacon Johnson is best known publicly as the youngest son of Don Johnson and Kelley Phleger and as Dakota Johnson’s younger paternal half-brother. Born on April 29, 2006, he grew up in Santa Barbara and graduated from The Thacher School in 2024.
His early record shows interests extending beyond his famous family. He participated in multiple high-school sports, helped establish a youth mentorship initiative, became involved with Kids STEP UP, and later received academic recognition through USC’s Iovine and Young Academy.
At this stage of his life, there is no established professional acting career associated with Deacon Johnson. The most credible public information instead presents him as a student with documented involvement in education, mentorship, technology, sports, and community service.
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