Larry Birkhead, the father of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter, Dannielynn, is strongly criticizing the new documentary about Anna's life, Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me, which premiered on Netflix recently.
Larry, who has been single-handedly raising Dannielynn since Smith's tragic death in 2007, declined to participate in the film, calling it a "cesspool".
© Stephen J. CohenMORE: Anna Nicole Smith's daughter's name change revealed
MORE: Anna Nicole Smith's teenage daughter looks so grown up in new pictures
"We declined to participate as I did not want my daughter in an overwhelmingly poorly reviewed cesspool of a project about her Mother, where some people were allowed to invent things and rewrite history," he told Entertainment Tonight.
MORE: Anna Nicole Smith's daughter beams as dad Larry Birkhead makes her dream come true
MORE: Larry Birkhead inundated with support following sad family death
"Anna truly deserved better and that day will come."
© Getty ImagesThe documentary was directed by Ursula Macfarlane and described by Netflix as a "humanizing examination of the life, death and secrets of Vickie Lynn Hogan — better known as a model and actress Anna Nicole Smith."
MORE: Inside Anna Nicole Smith's daughter Dannielynn's home
Ursula confirmed that she had reached out to Larry as an integral part of Smith's life, but they could not come to an agreement regarding his participation.
Netflix has not provided further comments following Larry's statement.
Larry, a freelance celebrity photographer, met Anna Nicole at a Kentucky Derby gala in May 2003.
The Netflix film presents Larry in a less than favourable light, with various claims made by Anna's friends and other participants in the documentary.
© Getty ImagesKevin Smith, a tabloid journalist, suggested that Larry used his relationship with Anna to his advantage.
"As soon as he met Anna Nicole Smith, the lightbulb went off above his head," he stated in the film, implying that Larry saw the financial potential in their relationship.
Mitchell Olson, former Survivor contestant and a friend of Anna, claimed the relationship seemed transactional, alleging Larry was willing to father Anna's child then move on.
The Netflix film also delves into the tumultuous time following the birth of Anna's daughter, with Anna Nicole making conflicting statements about who the real father of her child was.
Ultimately, a DNA test proved that Larry was indeed the father. It's unclear why Larry declined to participate in the documentary.
Larry has previously discussed his complex relationship with Anna. Despite the challenging circumstances, Larry continues to speak positively about his former lover, maintaining a loving narrative for their daughter.
Commemorating the anniversary of Anna Nicole's death last year, he took to social media, describing his ex as "truly one of a kind."
Today, Larry, now a real estate investor, and Dannielynn make a rare public appearance once a year at the same Kentucky Derby party where he and Smith first met.
Dannielynn, now 16, is primarily focused on her studies and friends, and has shown no interest in following her mother's footsteps into modeling.
Despite the controversy surrounding the documentary, Larry remains steadfast in his mission to protect his daughter and uphold the positive memory of Anna Nicole Smith.
Read more HELLO! US stories here
Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.
