Dakota Fanning

Dakota Fanning

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Biography

Dakota Fanning (born Hannah Dakota Fanning, 23.2.1994)
Dakota Fanning is an American actress, best known for her roles in films such as Charlotte's Web and I Am Sam.

Childhood: Dakota Fanning was born in Conyers, Georgia, to Joy and Steve Fanning. Her mother was a tennis professional and her father was a minor league baseball player, then an electronics salesman. On her mother's side, her grandfather, Rick Arrington was an American footballer and her aunt, Jill Arrington, was a reporter on ESPN. Dakota's younger sister Elle Fanning is also an actress.

Fanning's family are members of the Southern Baptist Convention. Dakota studied at Campbell High School in North Hollywood, California. She is also on the cheerleading squad at her high school.

Acting Career: Dakota Fanning's acting career began when she was five years old, when she was cast in a Tide commercial. Her first serious acting job was in the NBC drama ER, playing a leukemia sufferer who was also in a car accident.

Following her role on ER, Dakota Fanning landed a number of guest roles on series such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Spin City and The Practice. She was also selected to play the younger versions of the title characters of Ally McBeal and The Ellen Show.

Dakota Fanning's big break came in 2001, when she starred opposite Sean Penn in I Am Sam. In the film, Sean Penn plays the role of a mentally impaired man who has to fight for custody of his daughter. Her performance in the film led to her being nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award. At eight years of age, she became the youngest person ever to have been nominated for the award. The Broadcast Film Critics Association also awarded her the Best Young Actor/Actress award.

Dakota Fanning then landed the main child role in the Steven Spielberg-directed mini series Taken in 2002. Later that year, Dakota was cast as a kidnap victim in Trapped (starring Courtney Love, Charlize Theron and Kevin Bacon). She was also cast alongside Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama and in Hansel and Gretel, with Jacob Smith and Taylor Momsen.

In 2003, Dakota Fanning played the child to Brittany Murphy's nanny in Uptown Girls. She also played Sally in The Cat in the Hat, the Dr. Seuss adaptation starring Mike Myers, Kelly Preston and Alec Baldwin.

Fanning provided voice-overs for a number of animated projects, including Kim Possible, My Neighbour Totoro and Family Guy.

2004 saw Dakota Fanning appearing in Man on Fire. She played the role of Pita, alongside Denzel Washington, who plays the role of a man hired to protect her from kidnappers. Fanning continued to work alongside highly revered actors, including Robert De Niro, with whom she worked on Hide and Seek. In Lilo & Stitch: Stitch Has A Glitch, Fanning provided the voice of Stitch. Following this, she provided the voice for the film adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Coraline.

When Dakota Fanning worked with Kurt Russell and Kris Kristofferson on Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story, Kristofferson compared her to Bette Davis. She also featured in War of the Worlds, along with Tom Cruise. The director Steven Spielberg was equally complimentary.

In 2005, Dakota Fanning starred in Charlotte's Web, which was filmed in Australia.

The following year, Dakota Fanning starred in Hounddog. The film was shrouded in controversy, as Fanning appears in a scene in which her character is raped. The film's director, Deborah Kampmeier spoke out in her defence. At the age of 12, Dakota Fanning became the youngest person to be invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

In 2007, Fanning starred alongside Forest Whitaker, Jennifer Hudson, Guy Pearce and Kate Beckinsale in Fragments - Winged Creatures.

Dakota Fanning's career continues apace, with the 2008 release of the Secret Life of Bees (starring Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys and Sophie Okonedo). She has also been cast in New Moon, the new adaptation of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series. Fanning is also cast to play Cherie Currie, the lead singer of The Runaways, in the film of the same name.



Biography by Contactmusic.com

Damian Lewis And Dakota Fanning Added To Tarantino's 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood'


Damian Lewis Dakota Fanning Luke Perry Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino’s films are legendary for many reasons, not least because of his consistent ability to attract amazingly star-studded casts for his epics. However, his upcoming project Once Upon A Time In Hollywood  could turn out to feature his most impressive cast yet, with Damian Lewis, Dakota Fanning and Luke Perry announced as the newest additions!

Deadline reported on Wednesday night (June 6th) that the three huge stars will be joining the likes of Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie on the new film.

Former ‘Homeland’ star Lewis, 47, is set to play the iconic actor Steve McQueen, while Fanning has been cast as Squeaky Fromme, a Manson cult follower who infamously attempted to assassinate President Gerald Ford. Perry is going to play the unknown character Scotty Lancer.

Continue reading: Damian Lewis And Dakota Fanning Added To Tarantino's 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood'

The 'Fifty Shades' Trilogy Set To Pass $1 Billion At The Worldwide Box Office


Jamie Dornan Dakota Fanning

Proposing to tell the love story between Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) and Anastasia Steele (Dakota Fanning), the 'Fifty Shades' trilogy is one that had fans' attention for some time following its release. Originally told in the set of novels from author E. L. James before inevitably hitting the big screen with the aforementioned actors leading the charge, the franchise has been a hugely profitable one for all involved.

Jamie Dornan and Dakota Fanning in the very first 'Fifty Shades' filmJamie Dornan and Dakota Fanning in the very first 'Fifty Shades' film

That's set to continue as, following the release of the final film in the series this weekend 'Fifty Shades Freed', the movies are pegged to pass the $1 billion mark in the worldwide box office. It's a monumental amount for any franchise to rake in, but when you look at the history of 'Fifty Shades' and its author, and remember that the story she was telling was actually a fan-fiction based on the 'Twilight' series of novels and films, it's incredible to see how far the series has come.

Continue reading: The 'Fifty Shades' Trilogy Set To Pass $1 Billion At The Worldwide Box Office

Brimstone Review

Very Good

An unnerving Western with a sharp female perspective, this film is a series of gruesome surprises from Dutch filmmaker Martin Koolhoven. Told in four chapters that unfold out of sequence, the film's brutality is almost balletic as it explores the horrors of this rampantly male-dominated society. It's also gripping, and the characters and themes are seriously haunting.

The main setting is a small desert town, where the mute Liz (Dakota Fanning) is the local midwife. She lives with her gentle husband Eli (William Houston), their daughter (Ivy George) and his son (Jack Hollington) from a previous marriage. Then a new Reverend (Guy Pearce) arrives in town, and immediately takes exception to Liz. As their feud escalates, the Reverend preaches hellfire and damnation messages specifically about Liz. He's also secretly stalking her and making threats that escalate into serious nastiness. But all of this is connected to Liz's past as a young girl (Emilia Jones) living in a brothel, and earlier with her mother (Carice van Houton) as she encounters a desperate fugitive (Kit Harington).

The further back we go, the more interconnected everything becomes, with unexpected revelations that link the characters. There are also huge plot twists and earth-shattering events that don't always ring true. All of this is anchored by Fanning in a remarkably alert performance that requires her to convey (or attempt to conceal) her thoughts and feelings with her expressive eyes. Opposite her, Pearce is practically twirling his moustache as the sadistic villain, a terrifying psycho without any other sides to him. Thankfully, he's surrounded by characters who are layered and fascinating, providing both a blast of earthy realism and some very deep emotions.

Continue reading: Brimstone Review

Dakota Fanning at the ELLE Women in Hollywood Awards held at the Four Seasons Hotel, Los Angeles, California, United States - Monday 24th October 2016

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Dakota Fanning at the US Premiere of Ewan McGregor's new movie 'American Pastoral' - New York, United States - Thursday 20th October 2016

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Dakota Fanning
Dakota Fanning

Dakota Fanning posing alone and with Jennifer Connelly, Ewan McGregor, Uzo Aduba and Valorie Curry at a Special Screening of Lionsgate's new movie 'American Pastoral' - held at Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Beverly Hills, California, United States - Friday 14th October 2016

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Dakota Fanning
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Dakota Fanning Lights The Empire State Building In Honor Of International Day Of The Girl - New York, United States - Tuesday 11th October 2016

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Dakota Fanning
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Dakota Fanning - Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology' Costume Institute Gala - After Party - New York, New York, United States - Monday 2nd May 2016

Dakota Fanning

Video - Dakota Fanning And Richard Gere Among Arrivals At 2015 Tribeca Screening Of 'Franny'


The stars of 'Franny' - Theo James, Dakota Fanning and Richard Gere - were joined by the film's director Andrew Renzi and executive producer Michael Finley on the red carpet at the screening which took place at New York's Tribeca Film Festival 2015. Among other arrivals was Dylan McDermott from the TV series 'Stalker'.

Continue: Video - Dakota Fanning And Richard Gere Among Arrivals At 2015 Tribeca Screening Of 'Franny'

Dakota Fanning And Richard Gere's 'Franny' Leads The 2015 Tribeca Film Festival Line-Up


Dakota Fanning Richard Gere James Franco Tribeca Film Festival Olivia Wilde

The line up for this year’s Tribeca Film Festival was announced on Tuesday, with a diverse range of titles from features to documentaries taking part in the annual competition. This year, the best narrative feature category sees 12 films battling it out for the prestigious prize, while 12 documentaries from around the word will compete to be named best documentary feature.

Dakota FanningDakota Fanning stars in Franny, opposite Richard Gere

Richard Gere and Dakota Fanning’s hotly tipped Franny will have its world premiere at the festival. Directed by Andrew Renzi the film follows Gere as a wealthy, ageing eccentric who finds a new lease on life by working his way into the life of his late friend’s daughter (Fanning) and her husband, played by Theo James.

Continue reading: Dakota Fanning And Richard Gere's 'Franny' Leads The 2015 Tribeca Film Festival Line-Up

Effie Gray Review


Very Good

Based on a notorious true story, this film takes a muted approach that matches the Victorian period and attitudes, which somewhat undermines the vivid emotions of the characters. It's a fascinating story about a woman caught in her society's harshly restrictive rules about women, and the script by Emma Thompson captures some strong observations, interaction and personal feelings, but the film is so dark and repressed that it ultimately feels a bit dull.

In the mid 19th century, Effie Gray (Dakota Fanning) has been courted by noted art critic John Ruskin (Greg Wise) since she was only 12 years old, and he has waited for her to come of age to marry her. But as she moves in with his suffocating parents (Julie Walters and David Suchet) in London, Effie soon realises that she's trapped in a hopeless situation. While he's loving, John simply refuses to touch her, which makes her doubt her own intellect and femininity. She's befriended by Lady Eastlake (Thompson), who knows a thing or two about cold marriages and helps her make a plan. Then Effie and John travel to Scotland with John's protege, the painter Everett Millais (Tom Sturridge), and Effie begins to understand that there might be other possibilities out there.

Since the film is made in Victorian style, it leaves all of the heaving passion far beneath the surface. It's obvious that Effie (and the audience) are craving a bit of lusty bodice-ripping, but any action remains behind closed doors, only hinted at in the clever dialogue. This makes the film realistic and intriguing, but difficult to get a grip on. And instead of the scandalous love triangle of historical record, the film plays out more as a drama about a young woman working out a complex escape from male-dominated society. Even so, it's a compelling journey, with some remarkable twists and turns along the way, and the complex characters add plenty of detail.

Continue reading: Effie Gray Review

Audiences Get A Glimpse Of Effie Gray


Dakota Fanning Emma Thompson Greg Wise Tom Sturridge

The first trailer for Dakota Fanning’s new film, Effie Gray, has hit appliances with video playing abilities everywhere and showcases Emma Thompson’s fourth scripted venture in which she also co-stars. The film is a British biographical production directed by Richard Laxton and charts one of history’s oddest Victorian love triangles between art critic John Ruskin (Greg Wise), his once childhood friend and subsequent wife, Effie Gray (Dakota Fanning) and her eventual lover, painter John Everett Mallais (Tom Sturridge).

Effie Gray
Dakota Fanning takes on the title role in Effie Gray

Ruskin was a hugely influential figure, particularly in the latter half of the 19th Century: scholarly; brilliant; but socially awkward. In 1848, he married flirtatious and beautiful Effie but their love story started badly when, on their wedding night, they failed to consummate their union.

Continue reading: Audiences Get A Glimpse Of Effie Gray

Effie Gray Trailer


When young Effie Grey (Dakota Fanning) is married to John Ruskin (Greg Wise), a man ten years older than her, she feels no pleasure whatsoever. She is soon whisked away from her native Scotland and follows her husband as he travels to Venice in order to work on his book, 'The Stones of Venice'. People often notice that there is no love between the pair, and they drift apart during their time in Italy, with Effie spending her time walking the streets of Venice and spending more and more time with her husband's protégée John Everett Millais (Tom Sturridge). With the two steadily falling in love, the struggle between right and wrong rages within Effie, as she is forced to make the choice between what she is told, and what she wants. 

Continue: Effie Gray Trailer

Night Moves Review


Very Good

This may be a slow-burning thriller about eco-terrorists, but it's also directed by Kelly Reichardt (Meek's Cutoff), a filmmaker who maintains an oddly aloof perspective while moving at her own steady pace. While this original approach offers fresh insight into the subject matter, it also creates a distance with the audience. But the subtle tone and complex morality add a strong resonance to the subject matter.

It's set in the rural American Northwest, where organic farmer Josh (Jesse Eisenberg) is collaborating with zen-retreat worker Dena (Dakota Fanning) and ex-military loose cannon Harmon (Peter Sarsgaard) to plan a bombing that will make people stop and think about what humanity is doing to the planet. Their target is a dam in Oregon that provides hydroelectric power, and their rationale is that no one needs to run their iPods 24 hours a day. After painstakingly setting up their subtle but devastating attack, they neglect to consider one possible outcome. And what follows forces them to re-examine their actions and motivations. It also causes a rift in their camaraderie that makes the outside threat feel even greater.

Despite the intense plot, this is definitely not an action movie, as Reichardt traces these three people's careful plan in sharp detail while quietly exploring the big issues that compel them to act. Oddly, these activist-terrorists seem oblivious that their violent plan is unlikely to make any difference in the grand scheme of things, and that very few people will ever understand their point. But they're such true believers that they simply can't see outside their circle. The acting is subdued and bracingly honest, creating complicated characters who say more without dialogue than with it. Sarsgaard has the most intriguing role, since Harmon has an undercurrent of menace that the others can't help but notice. And Reichardt lets the actors carry the scenes, using their expressive faces to fill in the details of the plot.

Continue reading: Night Moves Review

Night Moves Trailer


Josh (Jesse Eisenberg), a radical environmentalist teams up with high school drop-out, Dena (Dakota Fanning), and ex-marine Harmon (Peter Sarsgaard) in an attempt to send a message to the industrialised world they stand against: the bombing of a hydro-electric dam. The suspenseful political thriller delves into the world of extremists, desperate to protest in favour of their beliefs - even if it pushes them into illegal activity, doing so.  

Night Moves comes to us courtesy of indie film director Kelly Reichardt, and having made the rounds of various, prestigious film festivals, it is due for a UK release this month. It has already been chosen for the official selection for the London, Venice and Toronto International Film Festival, and has enjoyed favourable reviews from critics and the public worldwide. 

It has, however, been criticised for having major similarities in both in both character and plot with Edward Abbey's novel, The Monkey Wrench Gang. In 2012, a lawsuit was filed against the film, as it clashed with the novel of which a film adaptation was in pre-production.   

Dakota Fanning

Dakota Fanning Quick Links

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Dakota Fanning

Date of birth

23rd February, 1994

Occupation

Actor

Sex

Female

Height

1.63


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Dakota Fanning Movies

Brimstone Movie Review

Brimstone Movie Review

An unnerving Western with a sharp female perspective, this film is a series of gruesome...

American Pastoral Trailer

American Pastoral Trailer

American Pastoral is based on Philip Roth's 1998 Pulitzer Prize winning novel which follows the...

Effie Gray Movie Review

Effie Gray Movie Review

Based on a notorious true story, this film takes a muted approach that matches the...

Effie Gray Trailer

Effie Gray Trailer

When young Effie Grey (Dakota Fanning) is married to John Ruskin (Greg Wise), a man...

Night Moves Movie Review

Night Moves Movie Review

This may be a slow-burning thriller about eco-terrorists, but it's also directed by Kelly Reichardt...

Night Moves Trailer

Night Moves Trailer

Josh (Jesse Eisenberg), a radical environmentalist teams up with high school drop-out, Dena (Dakota Fanning),...

The Motel Life Movie Review

The Motel Life Movie Review

There's a lovely simplicity to this quietly unnerving story about two brothers who have never...

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The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 Movie Review

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 Movie Review

With a flurry of bonkers action and cross-species bonding, The Twilight Saga surges to a...

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2 Trailer

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2 Trailer

Not long since the harrowing and almost fatal birth of their daughter Renesmee, newly born...

Now Is Good Movie Review

Now Is Good Movie Review

Preteen girls will find this soppy romance unbearably romantic, but everyone else will struggle to...

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 Trailer

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 Trailer

After their reckless marriage ceremony and the traumatic near-death-experience that was the birth of their...

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 Trailer

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 Trailer

Bella Swan is finally a vampire. She discovers that the world seems somewhat brighter now...

Now Is Good Trailer

Now Is Good Trailer

Tessa is like every other sixteen year old; she'd love a boyfriend and she'd like...

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 Trailer

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 Trailer

Breaking Dawn is the final chapter from the Twilight series and picks up where Eclipse...

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