Don Johnson Is So Proud of All His Kids, Including ‘Famous Daughter’ Dakota: ‘You Don’t Want Them to Leave’

The Rebel Ridge star, who has been in the biz for 54 years, says being a dad is his pride and joy

The littlest Johnson kid has flown the coop. Luckily, he's not going too far — Don Johnson says he and his wife, Kelly Phleger, recently dropped off their youngest son, Deacon, 18, at the University of Southern California, where they'll be able to visit all the time.

"He's my sixth and final one," the Rebel Ridge star tells PEOPLE. "I might have done my best work there," he says of his youngest son. He jokes, "I have a famous daughter [Dakota Johnson] who probably won't like to read that in print!"

He says Deacon is an exact clone of his late father. "He has the looks of like ten movie stars, But he probably won't end up in the business because he's incredibly authentic and doesn't mind telling you when you're full of caca!"

Of course, Johnson says he truly adores all of his kids equally. He has a musician son, Jesse, 41, whose mother is Johnson's ex, actress and former Warhol muse Patti D'Arbanville.

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Related: Don Johnson Says Being an '80s Heartthrob Was Dangerous: 'We Had to Have 24/7 Security' (Exclusive)

He had actress Dakota, 34, with his ex-wife Melanie Griffith — and sons Deacon and Jasper, 22, with his current wife, Phleger. The two are also parents to model daughter Grace, 24.

Johnson also officially adopted Alexander Bauer, 38, when he was married to Griffith. Alexander is the son Melanie had when she was wed to actor actor Steven Bauer.

Related: Don Johnson's 5 Kids: All About Jesse, Dakota, Atherton, Jasper and Deacon

Johnson says that being a dad is his pride and joy.

"Now that they're all out of the house, it's sad," he admits. "But they all come back. They never really leave, And honestly, you don't want them to leave."

Johnson, who rose to fame in the '80s playing Sonny Crockett on Miami Vice, says he's had plenty of fits and starts throughout his career. Now that he's back "on the menu," he says he's thrilled to be able to pick and choose roles that suit him.

"Work-life balance is an interesting thing because movies eat your life. Television shows eat your life. And I'm at a place now where I can pick and choose, and that's why I've picked things that are sometimes more supporting roles because I still like doing what I do, and I still get the same joy out of it, but I just don't want to work those long hours and be away from my family."

Rebel Ridge is now streaming on Netflix.

For more about Don Johnson, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

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