7 Little Johnstons follows the Johnston family, one of the world’s largest families of little people. Season 16 recently began, picking up after the dramatic ending of Season 15. Much of the recent conflict centers on the eldest daughter, Anna Johnston, who decided to take a step back from the family.
Since Season 15, Anna has been at the center of a feud with most of the Johnston family, though there’s more to the story than just her decision.
Tensions between Anna Johnston and her family began during Season 15. One issue was Anna’s decision not to attend her college graduation. Part of the conflict stemmed from mixed feelings about her mother, Amber, graduating from the same college. Anna did take graduation photos, borrowing her brother Jonah’s old gown while her parents were away, which upset them.
In the Season 16 premiere, Anna revealed she was taking a break from the family. Beyond the graduation conflict, Amber and Trent were upset over Anna giving an underage girl something inappropriate. Anna admitted her mistake but said the family refused to forgive her. The tension grew when she skipped her siblings Alex and Emma’s high school graduation, further straining relationships.
Amber Johnston and Trent Johnston seem to treat Anna differently than her siblings
Throughout 7 Little Johnstons, it’s clear that Anna has often been treated differently by Amber and Trent compared to her siblings. Among the five Johnston children, Anna has faced the harshest punishments. For example, after a school incident, Amber took away nearly all of her clothes and makeup. Even after repeatedly apologizing for the underage drinking incident, Anna says her parents still hold it against her.
By contrast, her siblings haven’t faced the same level of consequences. When Jonah got in trouble for using Delta-8, his parents encouraged him to move back home, without showing the same resentment they have toward Anna. Anna has admitted she feels like the family’s black sheep—and after years of being treated differently, it’s easy to see why.
Anna keeps in touch with her aunt Heidi Johnston, as well as her cousins Carrington and Ella
Despite keeping her distance from her immediate family, Anna Johnston remains close with other relatives. She often posts with her aunt Heidi Johnston, Trent’s sister, and Heidi’s daughters, Carrington Lee and Ella Lee. While she rarely shares photos with the Johnston clan, Anna frequently spends time with her aunt and cousins.
In July, Anna traveled with Heidi and her daughters to San Diego for the annual Little People of America Convention. She spent the trip mostly with them and was only pictured with her sister Emma in a group photo, without interacting with the rest of her immediate family.
Elizabeth Johnston allegedly didn’t invite Anna to her recent wedding
Recently, Anna’s younger sister Elizabeth Johnston got married to her now husband, Brice Bolden. Viewers were curious to find out if Anna attended the wedding. Anna revealed in a live stream on TikTok that she didn’t attend and claimed that she was never invited. Elizabeth had previously argued that she did invite Anna, and said that from her point of view, the latter chose not to attend.
Anna also let fans know that Carrington and Ella weren’t in attendance at the wedding either. It also appears that Heidi didn’t go. While it’s possible that Heidi and her daughters didn’t go out of solidarity with Anna, it hasn’t been confirmed. Nonetheless, it’s evident that the Johnston family feud has continued way past the events filmed for Season 16.