| Dakota Fanning |
Dakota Fanning at the London premiere of War of the Worlds in June 2005 |
| Birth name |
Hannah Dakota Fanning |
| Born |
February 23 1994 (1994--) (age 13)
Conyers, Georgia, U.S.A. |
| Other name(s) |
Kota |
| Occupation |
actress |
| Years active |
1999—present |
| Parents |
Joy Fanning
Steven Fanning |
|
|
Dakota Fanning (born February 23 1994) is an
American actress. Fanning's breakthrough performance
was in I Am Sam in 2001. As of 2007, her most well-known films have been
War of the Worlds and Charlotte's Web. She has won numerous awards, and is currently the youngest person ever
to have been nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Biography
Early life
Fanning was born Hannah Dakota Fanning in Conyers, Georgia, daughter of Joy
(née Arrington), who played tennis
professionally, and Steve J. Fanning, who played minor league baseball for the
St. Louis Cardinals and now works as an electronics salesman in Los Angeles.[1] Her
maternal grandfather is football player Rick Arrington
and her aunt is ESPN reporter Jill Arrington.[2] Fanning is the older sister of Elle Fanning, also an actress. Fanning's 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. Her younger sister, Elle, is also an actress. Fanning is of half German descent and
her last name is of Irish origin.[3] Fanning and her family are Baptists, members of the
Southern Baptist Convention.[4]
Early career
Fanning began acting at the age of five after appearing with legendary musician Ray
Charles in a television commercial for the state lottery[5] 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.")[6]
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 impaired 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.
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."[7]
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
the movie Hansel and 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 as
Sally in 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 did voice-over work for four animated projects
during this period: As Satsuki in Disney's English language release of My Neighbor Totoro, 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 an episode of Cartoon Network's
Justice League.
2004–2005
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."[8]
Hide and Seek, was her first release in 2005, opposite
Robert De Niro. The film was generally panned, and 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."[9] Fanning
voiced Lilo (succeeding Daveigh Chase) in the direct-to-video film Lilo & Stitch 2:
Stitch Has a Glitch. 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."[10]
Fanning in
War of the Worlds; Director Steven Spielberg praised her ability to show "how she would really react in a real
situation".
Fanning completed filming on Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (opposite
Kurt Russell) in late October 2004. Russell declared he was astonished by his co-star's
performance in the film. Russell, 54, who plays as Dakota's father in the movie, declared she is the best actress he worked with
in his entire career and that he was astonished by her acting ability and well-rounded attitude. Russell says, "I guarantee you,
(Dakota) is the best actress I will work with in my entire career." [11] Kris Kristofferson, who plays her character's
grandfather in the movie, said that she's like Bette Davis reincarnated.[12]
While promoting her role in the movie Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story,
Dakota became a registered member of Girl Scouts of the USA at a special
ceremony, which was followed by a screening of the film for members of the Girl Scouts of the San Fernando Valley Council. Dakota
is not a member of a troop, but rather registered as a "Juliette"
(GSUSA's title for independently registered girls). [13]
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 praised "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."[14]
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. Released on December 15th, 2006, Web met generally warm critical acclaim.
Producer Jordan Kerner said, "...when she was so caught up in War of the Worlds, we had to end up going on a search for
other young actresses. They would have been nothing compared to her."[15] Fanning also provided voice work for Coraline, scheduled for release sometime in 2008.[16]
2006–present
Over the summer of 2006, Fanning worked on the film Hounddog, described in
press reports as a "dark story of abuse, violence and Elvis Presley adulation in the rural
South". Fanning's agent noted that the script is "challenging" to Fanning as an actress.[17] Fanning's parents have been criticized for allowing her to film a scene
in which her character is raped; Fanning called that an "attack". "It's not really happening," she told Reuters. "It's a movie, and it's called acting."[18] Director Deborah Kampmeier addressed the controversy in the January 2007 edition of
Premiere: "The assumption that [Dakota] was violated in order to give this performance denies her talent."[19]
In November 2006, Dakota said she had a small break and wanted to get busy once again.[20] During her Charlotte's Web press run in December 2006, she mentioned The Secret Life of Bees as a potential future film. [21] Dakota detailed her involvement in Bees in the January 2007
edition of Vanity Fair. She said, "I think I'm going to do that next
summer. It's something I definitely want to do and I'm attached to it."[22]
In March and April of 2007, she filmed Winged Creatures, alongside
Kate Beckinsale, Guy Pearce, Josh Hutcherson, and Academy Award winners Forest Whitaker and Jennifer Hudson. In September, Dakota will
begin filming Push which centers on a group of young American ex-pats with
telekinetic and clairvoyant abilities who hide from a U.S. government agency in Hong Kong and band together to try to escape the
control of the division."[22]
Later in 2007, Dakota will provide voice over work for the movie Hurricane Mary
which will star her sister Elle Fanning who will be portraying disabled twin sisters, with
Dakota providing voice over work for one twin.[23]
Other future films potentially include The Secret Life of Bees as
previously discussed and also The True Confessions of Charlotte
Doyle which Danny DeVito will direct. [24]
Personal life
Fanning is an avid reader, and includes among her hobbies knitting, swimming,
piano, violin, ballet, and
horseback riding.[25]
Dakota also wears ceramic orthodontic braces and a
palatal expander.
Fanning, like her sister Elle Fanning, is a huge classic metal fan. [26]
In 2006, she was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences as the youngest person ever at the age of 12.[27]
Filmography
Notable TV guest appearances
Awards
Kids Choice Awards
- 2007 Favorite Movie Actress
Saturn Award
BFCA Awards|BFCA Award
Sierra Awards|Sierra Award
Bronze Leopards|Bronze Leopard
- 2005 Best Actress (shared with other cast members), Nine Lives
MTV Movie Award
Satellite Award:Special Achievement Award
Young Artist Award
Parody
On Saturday Night Live, Fanning is portrayed by Amy Poehler as a pretentious child whose overly intellectual interests are out of step with those of her
child actor colleagues who appear on her talk show. She is also portrayed in The DiCaprio
Code by Scrapmation as a foulmouthed man trapped in the body of an "eternal child actress," possibly a nod to Baby
Herman from Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
References
- ^ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~battle/celeb/fanning.htm
- ^ http://www.tv-now.com/stars/dakota.html
- ^ Dakota Fanning Lives Out Her
Dreams. timessquare.com. Retrieved on July 21, 2006.
- ^ Interview: Dakota Fanning. lifeteen.com. Retrieved on July 19,
2006.
- ^ Winning Numbers.
Shoot magazine via findarticles.com. Retrieved on March 13, 2006.
- ^ Fanning the flames. Jam! Movies. Retrieved on March
13, 2006.
- ^ Sci Fi's 'Taken' Grabs
You and Doesn't Let Go. The Washington Post via virtuallystrange.net. Retrieved on March
13, 2006.
- ^ Man on Fire (review). rogerebert.com. Retrieved on March 13, 2006.
- ^ Hide and Seek review.
laweekly.com. Retrieved on March 13, 2006.
- ^ Glenn Close raves about
Dakota Fanning. monstersandcritics.com. Retrieved on March 13, 2006.
- ^ Kurt Russell Says Dakota Fanning Is The Best Actress He Ever Played With. softpedia.com.
Retrieved on April 12, 2007.
- ^ Dreamer: Inspired By a True Story (2005) DVD Review. reel.com. Retrieved on January
28, 2007.
- ^ Dakota Fanning, Movie
Star and Girl Scout. girlscouts.org. Retrieved on April 28, 2007.
- ^ War of the Worlds: Spielberg & Cruise -
Part I. comingsoon.net. Retrieved on March 13, 2006.
- ^ Exclusive
Interview : Jordan Kerner. moviehole.net. Retrieved on December 15,
2006.
- ^ Dakota Fanning Signs on
to "Coraline". about.com. Retrieved on March 13, 2006.
- ^ All shook up over Dakota's
Hounddog. nydailynews.com. Retrieved on July 20, 2006.
- ^ Dakota Fanning: 'It's
called acting'. cnn.com. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
- ^ "No More Kid Stuff", Premiere, January 2007.
- ^ With 'Six Feet' over, he's back.
dailynews.com. Retrieved on November 17, 2006.
- ^ NYC Premiere:
Charlotte's Web. thereeler.com. Retrieved on December 5, 2006.
- ^ a b "Cinderella in Sneakers", Vanity Fair,
January 2007.
- ^ "MTV Movie News",
April 2007.
- ^ "USA
Today News", June 2007.
- ^ Dakota Fanning Chats
About Dreamer. timeforkids.com.
- ^ [1],
Guitar Hero Forum
- ^ "Brokeback stars to join Academy", BBC, April
2007.
External links
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
