Dakota Fanning

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LAST UPDATED: September 19, 2018

Dakota Fanning Biography

Hannah Dakota Fanning was born on the 23rd of February 1994, in Conyers, Georgia, USA. Before her debut into the cinematic world, Dakota did her own acting around her house. She was very active for her age, and often put a blanket under her shirt and pretended to be having a baby, using her younger sister, Elle Fanning , who is also an actress now, as the baby. Dakota went to a playhouse near her home, where the children that attended put on a play every week to show to their parents. But the people running the playhouse noticed that Dakota stood out, and advised her parents, Joy and Steven Fanning, to take her to an agency. They believed that she was extremely talented. The Fanning family were advised to spend six weeks in Los Angeles, a long way from their home in Georgia. But there Dakota managed to get her first work; to star in a national Tide commercial. She was chosen out of many, many other children. The family then decided to move to Los Angeles permanently, for it looked like Dakotas career was looking very good. After they moved, Dakota signed with a professional agency, and soon won a role in the movie Tomcats (2001). She then went onto a small project called Father Xmas (2001) as Clairee. But Dakotas big break-through was yet to come. She auditioned for one of the main characters in I Am Sam (2001), and the director and the rest of the crew were amazed by her extraordinary talent. Dakota was cast, and starred in the movie as Lucy Diamond Dawson, alongside major Hollywood stars Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer. After I Am Sam (2001) her talent was immediately recognized around the world. She went straight onto Trapped (2002) as Abby Jennings, alongside Charlize Theron, then played the younger version of Reese Witherspoon in 2002s Sweet Home Alabama (2002) But Dakota still had two more movies to come in 2002. Firstly she got a huge role in Steven Spielbergs "Taken" (2002), the mini-TV series, and narrated the ten whole episodes, as well as having a part. This was a little more challenging, as she was playing a troubled alien child, but she managed to do brilliantly. Her last movie for 2002 was the childrens movie Hansel & Gretel (2002) as Katie. 2003 was also a brilliant year for Dakota, as she starred in a number of exciting projects. Firstly, it was as Sally Walden in Dr. Seuss The Cat in the Hat (2003) with Mike Myers , then she played Lorraine "Ray" Schleine, a bratty little girl, in the sweet comedy Uptown Girls (2003) alongside Brittany Murphy. She then voiced preschool Kim in Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time (2003) . In 2004, Dakota appeared in the violent thriller, Man on Fire (2004), alongside Denzel Washington . Her reviews were excellent. First in 2005 was Nine Lives (2005), as Maria, then the chilling Hide and Seek (2005) alongside Robert De Niro. By now, she was the busiest child actress in Hollywood, with a resume to die for. Her younger sister, Mary Elle Fanning (Elle Fanning ), had also been discovered a few years earlier. After Hide and Seek (2005) came War of the Worlds (2005), which was one of her major movies out of everything shed worked in. Not only did it make her more popular, but she got to play the daughter of A-list Hollywood actor Tom Cruise. They had four very successful premieres; the first in Tokyo, Japan, the second in France, the third in London, England and the fourth in New York, USA. The reviews were outstanding, especially Dakotas. She then voiced Lilo in Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005) , which she has just completed. Return To Top

Dakota Fanning Filmography

(2013) Effie Gray as Euphemia 'Effie' Gray
(2013) Night Moves as Dena Brauer
(2013) The Last of Robin Hood as Beverly Aadland
(2013) Very Good Girls as Lilly Berger
(2012) AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Shirley MacLaine as Herself
(2012) Celia as Hannah Jones
(2012) Now Is Good as Tessa Scott
(2012) The Motel Life as Annie James
(2012) The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 as Jane
(2011) Rise as Laurence Owen
(2010) Betsy and the Emperor as Betsy Balcombe
(2010) My Neighbor Totoro: Behind the Microphone as Herself
(2010) Stand Up to Cancer as Herself
(2010) The 82nd Annual Academy Awards as Coraline (voice)
(2010) The Runaways as Cherie Currie
(2010) The Twilight Saga: Eclipse as Jane
(2009) Coraline as Coraline Jones (VG) (voice)
(2009) Coraline as Coraline Jones (voice)
(2009) Coraline: Creepy Coraline as Herself
(2009) Coraline: The Making of 'Coraline' as Herself
(2009) Coraline: U-Control Picture in Picture as Herself
(2009) Coraline: Voicing the Characters as Herself
(2009) Late Night with Jimmy Fallon as Herself
(2009) Mark at the Movies as Herself
(2009) Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2009 as Herself
(2009) Push as Cassie Holmes
(2009) The 14th Annual Critics' Choice Awards as Herself - Presenter
(2009) The 35th Annual People's Choice Awards as Herself
(2009) The Jay Leno Show as Herself
(2009) The Twilight Saga: New Moon as Jane
(2008) Hurricane Mary as Alba Somoza (voice)
(2008) Stand Up to Cancer as Herself
(2008) Teen Idol Countdown as Herself
(2008) The Secret Life of Bees as Lily Owens
(2008) Winged Creatures as Anne Hagen
(2007) 2007 Camie Awards as Herself
(2007) Charlotte's Web: Flacka's Pig Tales as Herself
(2007) Charlotte's Web: Making Some Movie as Herself
(2007) Cutlass as Lacy
(2007) Forbes 20 Under 25: Young, Rich and Famous as Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
(2007) Hounddog as Lewellen
(2007) Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards '07 as Herself
(2007) The 12th Annual Critics' Choice Awards as Herself - Presenter
(2007) Up Close with Carrie Keagan as Herself
(2006) 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards as Herself
(2006) Charlotte's Web as Fern
(2006) CMT Giants as Herself
(2006) Made in Hollywood: Teen Edition as Herself
(2005) 'War of the Worlds': Characters - The Family Unit as Herself
(2005) 'War of the Worlds': Production Diaries, West Coast - Destruction as Herself
(2005) 'War of the Worlds': Production Diaries, West Coast - War as Herself
(2005) 2005 MTV Movie Awards as Herself - Winner and Presenter
(2005) 50 Cutest Child Stars: All Grown Up as Herself (archive footage)
(2005) Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story as Cale Crane
(2005) Hide and Seek as Emily Callaway
(2005) Hide and Seek: Do You Want to Play? The Making of 'Hide and Seek' as Herself
(2005) In the Mix as
(2005) Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch as Lilo (voice)
(2005) Made in Hollywood as Herself
(2005) Made in Hollywood as Himself
(2005) MTV Movie Awards 2005 Pre-Show as Herself
(2005) Nine Lives as Maria
(2005) Vengeance Is Mine: Reinventing 'Man on Fire' as Herself
(2005) War of the Worlds as Rachel Ferrier
(2005) War of the Worlds: UK Premiere Special as Herself
(2004) CMT Insider as Herself
(2004) In the Realms of the Unreal as Narrator/Vivian Girls (voice)
(2004) Man on Fire as Pita
(2004) On-Air with Ryan Seacrest as Herself
(2004) The Lowdown on Uptown as Herself
(2004) The Making of 'Man on Fire' as Herself
(2003) Cartaz Cultural as Herself
(2003) Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat as Sally
(2003) Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Herself
(2003) Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Herself
(2003) Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time as Preschool Kim (voice)
(2003) The 55th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards as Herself
(2003) Uptown Girls as Ray
(2002) Becoming Sam as Herself
(2002) Boogie as Herself
(2002) Hansel & Gretel as Katie
(2002) Inside Taken as Herself
(2002) Sweet Home Alabama as Young Melanie
(2002) Taken as Allie Keys
(2002) Taken as Allie Keys (voice)
(2002) Trapped as Abby Jennings
(2002) Trapped: From Within as Herself/'Abby Jennings' (also archive footage)
(2001) Eigo de shabera-night as Herself
(2001) Father Xmas as Clairee
(2001) I Am Sam as Lucy Diamond Dawson
(2001) Justice League as Young Wonder Woman (voice)
(2001) The Ellen Show as Young Ellen
(2001) The Fighting Fitzgeralds as Marie
(2001) Tomcats as Little Girl in Park
(2000) CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as Brenda Collins
(2000) Malcolm in the Middle as Emily
(2000) Strong Medicine as Edie's Girl
(1999) Family Guy as Little Girl (voice)
(1999) The Early Show as Herself
(1998) Total Request Live as Herself
(1997) Ally McBeal as 5 Year Old Ally
(1997) Corazón de... as Herself
(1997) Corazón de... as Herself (archive footage)
(1997) The Practice as Alessa Engel
(1997) The View as Herself
(1996) Magacine as Herself
(1996) Spin City as Cindy
(1996) The Rosie O'Donnell Show as Herself
(1995) MADtv as Herself
(1994) ER as Delia Chadsey
(1994) Extra as Herself
(1994) Friends as Mackenzie
(1993) Late Show with David Letterman as Herself - Guest
(1993) Late Show with David Letterman as Herself - Guest (also archive footage)
(1992) Gomorron as Herself - Filmen Man on Fire
(1992) HBO First Look as Herself
(1992) The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as Herself
(1992) The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as Herself - At 'Eclipse' Premiere
(1988) Live with Regis and Kathie Lee as Herself
(1988) Tonari no Totoro as Satsuki (2005 Disney version) (voice: English version)
(1987) Biography as Herself
(1986) The Oprah Winfrey Show as Herself
(1981) Entertainment Tonight as Herself
(1976) The Barbara Walters Special as Herself
(1975) Good Morning America as Herself
(1952) Today as
(1952) Today as Herself
() Every Secret Thing as Ronnie Fuller

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Dakota Fanning Trivia and Facts

She learned to read a little at the age of two.
At the age of eight, she became the youngest person to be nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award - for her supporting acting in the movie I Am Sam (2001).
When she received the Best Young Actor/Actress award from the Broadcast Film Critics Association for her performance in I Am Sam (2001) , she was too short to reach the microphone to give her acceptance speech. Presenter Orlando Bloom held her up to the mike for the duration of her speech, which turned out to be quite long.
She began her acting career at the age of five when she was picked for a Tide detergent commercial.
Her father named her Dakota, her mother named her Hannah. She then was named Hannah Dakota Fanning.
Dakota is one of 14 grandchildren.
Parents: Joy Arrington Fanning and Steven Fanning.
Her favorite films include Gone with the Wind (1939) , Titanic (1997) and Steel Magnolias (1989).
Collected dolls when she was younger.
Dakota was schooled at home and on sets by her tutor, but she joined high school in her freshman year.
Looks up to Meryl Streep and Hilary Swank , "not just because theyre great actresses, but because they are amazing people".
Fanning is an Anglicised form of the Gaelic Fionn, meaning "fair", and may have Norman roots from the Viking invasion of northern France. Her mothers maiden name Arrington has links to the east of England, notably Cambridgeshire.
She donated many signed items to Rocky Stone to be given away as prizes in a Dakota Fanning Contest to benefit less fortunate kids as part of the Toy Mountain Campaign 2005 and Toy Mountain Campaign 2006.
First time she visited England was on the 19th June 2005 with Tom Cruise , to attend the premiere of War of the Worlds (2005) at Londons Leicester Square.
Loves to knit and has knitted scarfs for Tom Cruise , Robert De Niro , Denzel Washington , Oprah Winfrey , Steven Spielberg and Tim Robbins .
For the sad scenes in I Am Sam (2001) , she thought of her pet goldfish, Flounder, dying.
Carried a book of baby names with her wherever she went as a child.
She has been to Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Japan, Australia, England, and France.
Was a member of the Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet for one year.
On her eleventh birthday, Tom Cruise gave her a cell phone.
Can play the violin.
Listed as a potential nominee on the 2004 Razzie Award nominating ballot. She was suggested in the Worst Supporting Actress category for her role in Dr. Seuss The Cat in the Hat (2003). She was also suggested as an official nominee in the "Worst Screen Couple" couple category with co-star Spencer Breslin in the Dr. Seuss The Cat in the Hat (2003). She was relieved to get neither of these nominations.
Is a member of the Girl Scouts USA, and her sister Elle Fanning is a Brownie.
Is learning to speak French. She also learned to speak some Spanish for her role in Man on Fire (2004).
Missed the premiere of Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005) to go to Mexico while her sister Elle Fanning filmed Babel (2006).
Began kindergarten at the age of four and one-half. She began her freshman year of high school (the 9th grade) in the fall of 2007.
During filming of War of the Worlds (2005) , Tom Cruise gave her an iPod.
Is now a Girl Scout [Oct. 2005].
After filming Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (2005) , Kurt Russell , who plays her father, bought her a palomino horse, whom she named Goldie. Goldie lives on a ranch near Dakotas home where she can visit him often.
Tutor is Jan Cerwonka.
Her scene in Nine Lives (2005) was done in just one take. She was only required to work on this movie for one day.
Has said she would love to be a director.
On her 10th birthday, Robert De Niro gave her a doll that looked like Dakotas character in Hide and Seek (2005) , with the brown hair and blue eyes.
Plays the piano, knits, collects dolls, ride horses and dances ballet.
Niece of Jill Arrington and Dean Panaro. Granddaughter of Mary Jane Arrington and Rick Arrington.
She was the youngest member of the "Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences", which admitted her in 2006.
Ranked number nine in "E!" TVs list of the cutest child stars, all grown-up - even though she was still just a girl in 2005.
Has been in three productions with her sister Elle Fanning , yet they have never shared scenes. Elle played the younger version of Dakotas characters in I Am Sam (2001) and "Taken" (2002) , and the two girls voiced sisters in a dub for Tonari no Totoro (1988).
While she was filming Man on Fire (2004) in Mexico, her sister Elle Fanning was filming The Door in the Floor (2004) , so their parents had to go to and from their daughters destinations.
Her first word was "Momo," which was the family cats name.
Has mentioned in numerous interviews that she would love to work with her sister, Elle Fanning .
For her, the hardest thing at the end of a movie is saying goodbye to the cast.
A doll was made of her (as her character, Cale) for the movie Dreamer (2005).
She was friends with her late Uptown Girls (2003) co-star Brittany Murphy.
Is a fan of US designer Belle of the Ball. She has worn many Belle of the Ball dresses to events such as the Hide and Seek (2005) premiere.
Was originally offered the part of Leslie in Bridge to Terabithia (2007) , but turned it down because of conflicting schedules. AnnaSophia Robb was later given the part.
Permed her hair for her films in 2005.
While she lived in in Georgia, she attended a Montessori school for a brief period of time.
Ranked number 14 on the Forbes List of The 20 Top-Earning Young Superstars in 2007.
Ranked number 94 on the Forbes List of "The Celebrity 100" in 2007.
In 2007, Forbes Magazine estimated her earnings for the year to be $4 million.
Ranked number six in "Interview" magazines "Hollywood Faces to Watch" article: "Future Stars of Tomorrow".
Ranked number 19 along with her sister, Elle Fanning , on "Entertainment Weekly" magazines "30 Under 30" actress list in 2008.
Was ranked #8 alongside Abigail Breslin on TV Guide Top 10 Teen Star Countdown (2008).
Ranked number four in the "Moviefone" list of the "The 25 Hottest Actors Under 25" in 2008.
For the 2008 - 09 school year, she was a cheerleader for Campbell Hall, a private Episcopal Church college-preparatory school in North Hollywood, Calif., which fields a number of sports teams.
Her favorite scary movie as a child, was The Wizard of Oz (1939).
She had not read all of the books from the "Twilight" series by the writer Stephenie Meyer before she got hired for the cast of the movie The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) , but she wanted to take the part because she loved the cast and the script.
Started recording the voice of Coraline (2009) when she was just 10 years old, but this movie was not published until she was 15 years old.
She chose her costumes and looks in Push (2009). Some of the clothes were actually her own.
When the production of Coraline (2009) started, it was originally going to be a live action, still with Dakota in the lead.
While filming Push (2009) in Hong Kong, she wasnt recognized.
Because of rape scenes that she was involved in, her movie Hounddog (2007) was banned in many cities.
Has the rare distinction of being in the cast of two movies that opened on the same day in the United States: - Coraline (2009) and Push (2009) , on February 6, 2009.
She became close friends with Tom Cruise after working with him on War of the Worlds (2005).
Good friends with Kristen Stewart .
She graduated with honors, from North Hollywoods Campbell Hall Episcopal High School on June 6, 2011.
She was a cheerleader and was voted homecoming queen in high school.
Her favorite book is "Charlottes Web" by E.B. White , and her favorite book series are "Harry Potter" by J.K. Rowling , "A Series of Unfortunate Events" by Daniel Handler , and "Nancy Drew" by Mildred Wirt Benson.
Has a schnoodle dog named Lewellen.
Had to wear braces for two years.
Announced that she would begin her first semester of college at New York University in the Fall of 2011 [June 2011].
Is a Delta Gamma sorority influence with her aunt, Jill Arrington , being a Delta Gamma member alumnae.
Is also of English and French ancestry.

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Dakota Fanning Quotes

Ive always wanted to be an actress, ever since I was a little girl. Ive always played the mom and I play my sister as the daughter. I wanted to be an actress on television and movies instead of just around the house.
"Working with him, I loved every minute of it. I couldnt wait to see him everyday. Hes one of the best actors in the world and I loved observing him." - on working with Denzel Washington on Man on Fire (2004) .
I think Orlando Bloom is cute. I met him at an awards show. I was actually nominated and I won that one. When I went up on stage, they didnt have a step for me to step on at the Critics Choice Awards so he had to hold me up. He held me for a LONG, LONG time!
Ive been very lucky enough to do all kinds of movies. All the movies that Ive done have been very different and all the characters Ive done have been very different. I feel very lucky to have been able to do the movies that Ive done.
I want to keep acting. I want to go to college, sure, but I really want to keep acting right now. Its so fun.
Im just a normal kid, really. I just love to act.
I learned that it can be very hurtful to talk about others. You know, I read a quote by Oprah Winfrey where she said, "Turn your wounds into wisdom". Its not nice to spread rumors.
Acting is what I love to do. I wouldnt trade it for the world. I dont think of it as work. Its really fun for me. And home-schooling works out perfectly.
Its fun to know what I want to do - you know, when I grow up. I have friends who say, Oh, maybe Ill be an astronaut or whatever. But its cool to want to do this forever. I knew from my first commercial that I wanted to be an actress.
When I go on a movie set, Im learning about movies. I learned 100 lessons a day from Steven Spielberg . I always think I might not have this opportunity again, so I try to cram a lot of information into my brain.
My dad named me Dakota and my mom came up with my first name Hannah. So its Hannah Dakota Fanning.
[Talking about Hounddog (2007) ]: It was a script that I loved and its, you know, ultimately my decision because Im playing the character but, of course, my mom and my agent read everything, but it was no different than anything else.
I have no problem shooting emotional scenes.
I feel so blessed to have been able to be in War of the Worlds (2005) .
I think its everyones dream to win an Oscar. Id love just to go to the Oscars and it would be fun. That would be great!

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Dakota Fanning Photoshoots

"Vanity Fair" (USA), March 2013, Iss. 631, pg. 314, by: Bruce Weber, "Bruce Weber's Adventures in Hollywood"
"AD Rotterdams Dagblad" (Netherlands), 22 June 2012, "Nog meer sterren dan aan de hemel"
"W" (USA), December 2011, Vol. 40, Iss. 12, pg. 125-126, 130, 133, by: Mario Sorrenti, "Sister Act"
"Teen Vogue" (USA), June 2010, pg. 53, by: edited by Andrew Bevan, "Talking Fashion: Cherry Bomb"
"J-14" (USA), January 2009, "Dakota's A Cheerleader!"

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Dakota Fanning Other Works

(2002) Appeared in Rufus Wainwright's music video for "Across the
Universe"
TV commercial for Tide (1999)

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Dakota Fanning Trademarks

Preteen years: played extremely precocious and intelligent children who were often smarter than the adults. Her teenage roles have consisted of more troubled girls.

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Dakota Fanning Information provided by IMDB.com and Wikipedia.com. Buy Dakota Fanning Movies