Dakota Fanning has revealed some of the not-so-good experiences she went through as a child actor. The 30-year-old star recalled being asked lots of strange questions during her earlier years on the screen.
She also stated that many people expected her acting career to fail somewhere along the line. In addition, she expressed sympathy for others going through similar challenges. Dakota Fanning’s recent interview with The Cut revealed many interesting revelations.
The actor, who made a name for herself in Hollywood at the age of six, disclosed a number of weird situations she encountered as a kid actor. She also blamed the media for trying to inject negativity into her career.
“People would ask super-inappropriate questions,” she told the interviewer. The “Man on Fire” star further said, “I was in an interview as a child, and somebody asked, ‘How could you possibly have any friends?’ It’s like, Huh?” According to Fanning, she was too young to understand how out of place the questions were at the time.
She also recalled having to answer a question that went, “How are you avoiding being a tabloid girl?” Fanning stated that most sections of the media were expecting her to be swallowed up by the tabloid craze, just like it happened to other stars such as Lindsay Lohan and Brittany Spears.
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Things Were Different for Fanning
Fortunately for Dakota Fanning, she escaped the experience most child actors passed through in the industry. From her first movie role, she continued to climb up the ladder, landing major roles in blockbuster movies and starring alongside industry legends such as Denzel Washington and Tom Cruise.
Even now, her career has waxed stronger as she recently earned her first Emmy nomination for her role in “Ripley.” Fanning is grateful to have scaled through the hurdles of negative expectations. At one point, when the interviewer asked her about the media’s obsession with “fallen child stars,” Fanning agreed that it was the case with her.
“That’s the thing. It’s like, Is that what you want to happen to me somehow? Is that what you want to happen to these people?” she wondered. “I’ve definitely felt this kind of vibe from people almost wanting me to fail or something. It makes you feel a little bit guarded. I’m just living my life over here,” she added.
She also conceded that by the time she became older and realized the media’s previous expectations, there had already been some adjustment in the industry mindset. People had begun to understand that projecting negative expectations was “not the best way to treat people.”
Fanning also stated that she is concerned about other people who had the same experience in the industry. “I have a lot of compassion for people who have been made into examples,” she revealed. “If society and the media hadn’t played their part, who knows? I don’t think that it’s necessarily connected a hundred percent to being in this business; there are other factors, too.”
How Old Is Dakota Fanning?
Dakota Fanning is presently 30, having been born in Conyers, Georgia, on February 23, 1994. Both her parents were sports people. Her mom, Heather Joy, was a professional tennis player, while her dad, Steven J. Fanning, played baseball in the minor leagues before becoming a salesman. Her sister, Elle Fanning, is also a well-known Hollywood actress.
In the interview, Dakota Fanning disclosed how instrumental her family’s support was to her success. “My family is comprised of very nice, kind, protective people,” she stated. “I have a mother who taught me how to treat other people and also how to treat myself. And she was there every second.”
In addition to their support, she stated that her family accorded her respect in contrast to other kid stars who were seen as pawns. “I was always treated with respect. It was never ‘Bring the kid in! Get her out!’ I wasn’t working with people who treated me that way — I was being respected as an actor and as equal as you can be for that age.”
Did Dakota Fanning Stop Acting?
Dakota Fanning never stopped acting. After hitting fame earlier in her career, Fanning spent some time working on some lower-profile movies. She also worked on many kid-friendly movie projects, such as the 2006 film version of “Charlotte’s Web,” a book by E.B White. She also voiced Lilo Pelekei in Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch.”
In 2007, she played in the controversial movie “Hounddog” as a rape victim. The graphic film earned a lot of backlash because Fanning was only 12 at the time. She also appeared in “The Secret Life of Bees” (2008), “Push,” and “New Moon” (both 2009).
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What Movie Made Dakota Fanning Famous?
Fanning became an industry sensation after she starred alongside Denzel Washington in 2004’s “Man on Fire.” She went to the next level when she worked with Tom Cruise on “War of the Worlds” in 2005 and played a significant role in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.” Fanning reunited with Denzel Washington in 2023’s “The Equalizer 3.”
Recently, Dakota Fanning, whose actual name is Hannah Hanning, acted in the 2024 Netflix drama “Ripley.” She received an Emmy nomination for her role in the Outstanding Supporting Actress category. Fanning, who has successfully kept her romantic life a secret, has an estimated net worth of $12 million as of mid-2024.
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