Kurt Russell and Dakota Fanning in the promotional poster for
Dreamer, 2005
Hannah Dakota Fanning (born February 23, 1994) is an American child actress. Known professionally as Dakota Fanning, she is one of the first major stars among the youngest members of Generation Y, and is considered by film critics to be among the best child actors of her generation.
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Contents
- 1 Biography
- 1.1 Early career
- 1.2 2002–2003
- 1.3 2004–present
- 1.4 Personal life
- 2 Filmography
- 3 Awards
- 4 References
- 5 External links
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Biography
Early career
Dakota Fanning was born in Conyers, Georgia to Steven Fanning (a former baseball player who now works as an electronic salesman in Los Angeles) and Joy, who played tennis professionally. Her mother had wanted to name her "Hannah" and her father wanted to name her "Dakota"; she has always used Dakota among her friends and family. She has a sister, Elle, who is now also an actress. Dakota Fanning began acting at the age of five, after appearing with legendary musician Ray Charles in a television commercial for the Georgia State Lottery[1] and being chosen for a Tide commercial. Her first significant acting job was a guest-starring role in the NBC prime-time drama, ER, which remains one of her favorite roles ("I played a car accident victim who has leukemia. I got to wear a neck brace and nose tubes for the two days I worked.")[2]
Fanning subsequently had several guest roles on established television series, including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Friends, The Practice, Spin City and Malcolm in the Middle. She also portrayed the title characters of Ally McBeal and The Ellen Show as young girls.
In 2001, Fanning was chosen to star opposite Sean Penn in I am Sam, the story of a mentally challenged man who fights for the custody of his daughter (played by Fanning). This role made Fanning the youngest person (in 2002, at age eight) ever to be nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award, for her supporting performance. When she won the Best Young Actor/Actress award from the Broadcast Film Critics Association for the film, she was too short to reach the microphone; presenter Orlando Bloom held her up for the duration of her acceptance speech (which turned out to be quite long).
2002–2003
In 2002, director Steven Spielberg cast Fanning in the lead child role of Allison "Allie" Clarke/Keys in the science fiction miniseries Taken. By this time, she had received positive notices by several film critics, including Tom Shales of The Washington Post, who wrote that Fanning "has the perfect sort of otherworldly look about her, an enchanting young actress called upon ... to carry a great weight."[3]
In the same year, Fanning appeared in three films: As a kidnap victim who proves to be more than her abductors bargained for in Trapped; as the young version of Reese Witherspoon's character in Sweet Home Alabama; and as Katie in Hansel & Gretel.
Fanning was featured even more prominently in two films released in 2003: Playing the uptight child to Brittany Murphy's immature nanny in Uptown Girls, and one of two children "babysat" by Mike Myers as The Cat in the Hat. She appeared on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on November 10, 2003, where she declared that she and her sister share a room, and described The Cat in the Hat co-star Mike Myers as "very funny."
Fanning has done voice-over work for five animated projects: As Satsuki in Disney's English language release of My Neighbor Totoro, as Lilo (succeeding Daveigh Chase) in the direct-to-video film Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch, as Kim Possible in preschool in the Disney Channel series Kim Possible, as a little girl in the Fox series Family Guy, and as young Wonder Woman in Cartoon Network's Justice League.
2004–present
In 2004, Fanning appeared in Man on Fire as Pita, a nine-year-old who wins over the heart of the retired assassin (Denzel Washington) hired to protect her from kidnappers. Roger Ebert wrote that Fanning "is a pro at only 10 years old, and creates a heart-winning character."[4] Hide and Seek, was her first release in 2005, opposite Robert De Niro. Though the film was generally panned, critic Chuck Wilson called it "a fascinating meeting of equals—if the child star [Fanning] challenged the master [De Niro] to a game of stare-down, the legend might very well blink first."[5] She also had a small part in the Rodrigo Garcia film Nine Lives (released in October 2005), in which she shared an unbroken nine-minute scene with actress Glenn Close, who had her own praise for Fanning: "She's definitely an old soul. She's one of those gifted people that come along every now and then."[6]
Fanning in a publicity still from
War of the Worlds
Fanning completed filming on Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (opposite Kurt Russell) in late October 2004. She then went directly to the set of War of the Worlds, starring alongside Tom Cruise. Released in reverse order (War in June of 2005 and Dreamer in the following October), both films were critical successes.War director Steven Spielberg marveled at "how quickly she understands the situation in a sequence, how quickly she sizes it up, measures it up and how she would really react in a real situation ...."[7]
After filming was completed on War of the Worlds, Fanning moved straight to another film, without a break: Charlotte's Web, which she finished filming in May 2005, in Australia. The film is slated for release in December 2006. As of February 2006, Fanning is slated to appear in Coraline, which was announced in October 2005 and for which she will provide voice work.[8]
Personal life
During an E! televised event, celebrity-mocking comedian Kathy Griffin invented a rumor that the 11-year-old Fanning had entered rehab. Griffin explained the incident as a joke designed to mock other celebrities by eliciting pious "messages of hope", even when the subject was the most unlikely person she could think of to need such treatment.[9]
Fanning is a member of the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation. In 2006, she was presented with the foundation's Heart of Gold award "for her enthusiastic dedication to helping others at such an early age".[10] She is also member of the American Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet.[11]
Fanning is an avid reader, and includes among her hobbies biking, swimming, and drawing her own Wacky Packages.
Filmography
| Year |
Film |
Role |
Other notes |
| 2007 |
Coraline |
Coraline |
Voice only
Pre-production |
| 2006 |
The Secret Life of Bees |
Lily Owens |
Announced |
|
Hounddog |
Lewellen |
Filming |
|
Charlotte's Web |
Fern |
Post-production |
| 2005 |
Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story |
Cale Crane |
|
| Nine Lives |
Maria |
|
| War of the Worlds |
Rachel Ferrier |
|
| Hide and Seek |
Emily Callaway |
|
| Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch |
Lilo Pelekai |
Voice only
Direct-to-video |
| My Neighbor Totoro |
Satsuki Kusakabe |
Voice only
English language re-release |
| 2004 |
Man on Fire |
Pita Ramos |
|
| 2003 |
The Cat in the Hat |
Sally |
|
| Uptown Girls |
Lorraine "Ray" Schleine |
|
| 2002 |
Taken (TV) |
Allison "Allie" Clarke/Keys |
Miniseries |
| Hansel and Gretel |
Katie |
|
| Sweet Home Alabama |
Melanie (as a child) |
|
| Trapped |
Abigail Jennings |
|
| 2001 |
I am Sam |
Lucy Diamond Dawson |
|
| Father Xmas |
Clairee |
20-minute short subject |
Awards
Fanning has won and been nominated for numerous awards; a full list is available at the IMDB.
References
Footnotes
- ^ Shoot magazine through FindArticles. Winning Numbers. Retrieved on March 13, 2006.
- ^ Jam! Movies. Fanning the flames. Retrieved on March 13, 2006.
- ^ The Washington Post. Sci Fi's 'Taken' Grabs You and Doesn't Let Go. Retrieved on March 13, 2006.
- ^ Roger Ebert.com. Man on Fire (review). Retrieved on March 13, 2006.
- ^ L.A. Weekly. Hide and Seek review. Retrieved on March 13, 2006.
- ^ Monsters and Critics.com. Glenn Close raves about Dakota Fanning. Retrieved on March 13, 2006.
- ^ ComingSoon.net. War of the Worlds: Spielberg & Cruise - Part I. Retrieved on March 13, 2006.
- ^ About.com. Dakota Fanning Signs on to "Coraline". Retrieved on March 13, 2006.
- ^ Griffin describes the incident in her show Kathy Griffin: Strong Black Woman (2006).
- ^ Starlight.org A Stellar Night (2006).
- ^ Redcross.org Nine New Stars Join Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet (2004).
External links
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
Dakota Fanning
- Dakota Fanning at the Internet Movie Database
- List of fan sites at Yahoo! Directory
Categories: 1994 births | Actors and actresses appearing on ER | American child actors | American film actors | Living people | People from Georgia (U.S. state) | CSI actors | Ally McBeal | Wonder Woman actors | American voice actors | Family Guy actors
