- Mimi Sommer is the oldest daughter of 5-time Grammy Award winner Donna Summer and Austrian actor Helmuth Sommer
- She appeared alongside her mother in her mother’s 1980 TV special The Donna Summer Special
- Since 1980, she hasn’t made any appearance on the silver screen, but she dived into the world of business and entrepreneurship as a jewelry designer and decorator
Mimi Sommer is the daughter of late American Grammy-award-winning singer, songwriter, and actress, Donna Summer and Austrian actor Helmuth Sommer. Besides being the sole daughter of her parents’ shortened marriage, she is an actress, although she only featured in her mother’s 1980 musical special The Donna Summer Special.
Away from her brief acting role, she is a Jewel maker and owner of the Natalie Dohler Adornments in Nashville, Tennessee. Furthermore, she is a mother of four and a wife to Rick Dohler whom she married in 1995.
Donna Summer’s Daughter’s Sole Appearance On The Silver Screen Was In 1980
Mimi was featured once on TV, and It was in her mother’s 1980 musical special tagged The Donna Summer Special. The TV special talks about her mother’s musical skills and talents. She appeared alongside her mother, Pat Ast, Robert Guillaume, Debrelee Scott, Twiggy, Jay Rasumny, and Patrick Wright. It was released on 27th January 1980 in the US.
Since 1980, Mimi Sommer is yet to make any other appearance on TV. But, a decade and a half later, she is focused on building a family and a Jewel-making business which she currently runs in Nashville, Tennessee.
Over and above, it is not clear at the moment whether she has intentions of returning to TV. It seems as though she prefers to stay away from the spotlight and is more dedicated to being a mother, wife, and businesswoman.
She Is A Jewelry Maker
Ever since he made her first appearance in her mother’s TV special at the age of 7, she has moved into other spaces to tap from her creativity. She uses this ingenuity to design and make pieces of jewelry, ranging from necklaces, earrings, and bangles.
Moving forward, she owns the Natalie Dohler Adornme in Nashville, Tennessee. This is where she stores and sells Jewelry and accessories including clothes and shoes, toys, and other collectibles. Besides, she also engages in home decoration, furniture, and gardening.
Here Are 7 Compelling Facts About Mimi Sommer
1. She Is Of Austrian-Afro Ethnicity
Mimi Sommer was born Natalie Pia Melanie Sommer on 16th February 1973 to her parents, Donna Summer and Helmuth Sommer in Munich, Germany. About her ethnic background, most sites report the 51 year-old has German and African heritages. It was further stated that her German ancestry comes from her father, while her African origins come from her mother.
In contrast, Jukebugs.com gathers she is of Austrian-Afro ethnicity. This is because her father is from Austria and she was born in Vienna in 1973 which is nearly 3 decades since Austria gained freedom. Thus, it is inaccurate to link her to German ethnicity, but this doesn’t dispute the fact that German remains the main language spoken in Austria.
2. Her Mother Met Her Father While Touring In Germany
In the early stages of her mother’s career, Mimi’s mother meets her father Helmuth Sommer while on tour in Germany in the early 1970s. Even though there is nothing to state the year her parents met exactly, specific events in which her father’s name was mentioned in connection to her mother point to 1972.
It was in 1972 that her mother is said to have performed with her father in the broadway production Godspell. Thus, it is safe to assume they started a relationship within the said year.
In 1973, her parents exchanged marital vows. After the marriage, she was born in February 1973. It is possible her mother became pregnant with her sometime in 1972. Contrariwise, other reports show her parent got married in 1972.
3. Mimi Sommer’s Parents Divorced When She Was 3
When she was 3, her parent’s relationship went south, leading to a divorce in 1976, which means the marriage lasted for only 3 years. Several issues were linked to why the marriage ended. First, it began when her mother became depressed after she was born because her mother wasn’t ready to become a mother. Second, her father wasn’t always around to help her mother to take care of her due to his nature of work-acting. Also, her mother’s career suffered during the period she was born.
Because of how tough everything was, her parents decided to try a trial separation. At the time, her mother moved in with her friend named Anna. There she got to meet another man, Gunter who became a friend and confidant. They two became so close that they began to share the challenges of their marriages.
This went on for some time until it became obvious that they were in love. Later, Mimi Sommer’s father found out what was going on between the two and her mother had no choice but to separate.
Her mother revealed in her book Ordinary Girl: The Journey that she separating from her daughter’s father was difficult, but she had to do it because she had broken his trust and needed to also focus on her music career.
4. She Has Two Half Siblings
The 51 year-old has two half-sisters, Brooklyn Sudano and Amanda Sudano. They are from her mother’s second marriage to Brooklyn Dreams singer Bruce Sudano. Her mother married him on 16th July 1908.
Her half-sisters, Brooklyn was born on the 5th January 1981, and Amanda on 11th August 1982. Both of them have taken a page off their parents’ books to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Brooklyn acts, sings and dances, while Amanda is a member of the duo musical sensation Johnnyswim together with Abner Ramirez.
5. Donna Summer’s Daughter Is Married For 29 Years Now
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Mimi Sommer is married to Rick Dohler. She tied the knots with him on 24th June 1995. The wedding was held in Baltimore at the Roland Park Second Presbyterian Church and was attended by 200 guests including her mother Donna Summer, biological father Helmuth Sommer, and step-father Bruce Sudano.
Her biological flew in from Austria to walk her up half the aisle, while her step-father who raise her continued. After the exchange of vows, the guests were treated to a warm reception at the Stouffer Renaissance Harborplace Hotel. Shortly after the reception, her mother alongside her step-father, Michael Crawford, Amy Grant, and several others did a four-part harmony of Going to the Chapel.
6. The Donna Summer Special Actress Is A Mother Of Four
Sommer is a mother of 4 children; 2 girls and 2 boys. She first welcomed Vienna Dohler her oldest daughter two years after her wedding on 20th September 1997. Three years after, she had Savanah Dohler, her second on 7th July 2000. Later, she gave birth to her third Isaiah and her youngest Levi on 28th May 2010.
Her oldest daughter Vienna (27) seems to have inherited her grandmother’s singing talents. She is an artist and has done covers for songs of artists including Harry Styles, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, and Alvvays Band. While her second daughter Savanah (24) pitches her tent in design and fashion. She has designed stuff from face-caps sweat wears.
7. Her Mother Died Of Cancer At 63
Mimi Sommer’s mother Donna Summer died on 17th May 2012 at the age of 63 in Naples, Florida. She died from lung cancer which was alleged to have been caused by the harmful fumes and dust she inhaled in the 2001 Septmber 11 attack in New York City. But, the cancer was linked to her smoking habits in her youthful days and passive exposure to smoking in the clubs she performed.
Mimi Sommer was born to one of America’s famous black entertainers, Donna Summer, and an Austrian actor Helmuth Sommer in February 1973. She appeared in her mother’s 1980 TV special The Donna Summer Special at 7. Since then, she has stayed away from the spotlight to focus more on raising her family and building her Jewelry making-business. Yet, at her age, is there a possibility of her returning to the silver screen for any role? Moreover, many children of celebrities took after their parents, some of them include Alia Rose and Tazman James.
