LimeFile: Dakota Fanning
The Short Story: Dakota Fanning
Birthday: February 23, 1994
Hometown: Conyers, Georgia
Famous For: Her breakthrough role in the 2001 film I Am Sam; her role in War of the Worlds co-starring Tom Cruise; the controversy surrounding a rape scene in the independent film Hounddog
Quick Scoop: Is the youngest person ever nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award at age 8; is a member of the Girl Scouts of America; was the youngest member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences when she was invited to join in 2006; has worked with younger sister Elle on three projects to date: I Am Sam, Taken, and Tonari no Totoro
Awards: 2002 Young Artist Award: Best Performance in a Feature Film - Young Actress Age Ten or Under, I Am Sam. 2006 Young Artist Awards: Best Performance in a Feature Film (Comedy or Drama) - Leading Young Actress, Dreamer. 2009 Young Artist Awards: Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actress, The Secret Life of Bees. 2002 Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards: Best Young Actress, I Am Sam. 2006 Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards: Best Young Actress, War of the Worlds. 2005 MTV Movie Awards: Best Frightened Performance, Hide and Seek. 2007 Kids' Choice Awards: Favorite Female Movie Star, Charlotte's Web.
Biography
Hannah Dakota Fanning was born in Conyers, Georgia on February 23, 1994 to Joy Arrington and Steve Fanning. She has one sibling, younger sister Elle, who is also an actress.
Fanning began her acting career at age five after landing a national Tide commercial. It wasn't long before she started landing TV guest roles. Fanning had guest spots on six television shows in 2000 including her first major role on ER. She also played characters on Ally McBeal, Strong Medicine, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Practice, and Spin City. She continued landing television show guest roles in 2001 including stints on Malcolm in the Middle, The Fighting Fitzgeralds, The Ellen Show, and even voice work on Family Guy.
In 2001, Fanning got her big break in the Sean Penn-helmed drama, I Am Sam. Penn played a mentally challenged father fighting for the right to care for his daughter played by Fanning. Fanning gained much critical recognition for the role and won many awards including Best Young Actress from the Broadcast Film Critics Association.
2002 and 2003 kept Fanning busy. First, she starred in the Steven Spielburg-produced miniseries, Taken, that aired on the Sci-Fi Channel. She then was featured in three 2002 films: Sweet Home Alabama playing a young version of Reese Witherspoon's character, Trapped with Charlize Theron, and Hansel and Gretel with Taylor Momsen. In 2003, she got lead roles in Uptown Girls with Brittany Murphy and The Cat in the Hat with Mike Myers.
Following up with her voice work for the Family Guy, she also was featured in three other projects during this time: My Neighbor Totoro, Disney Channel's Kim Possible, and Cartoon Network's Justice League as Wonder Woman.
Fanning continued to wow critics with her next few films even if they didn't blow out the box office. First, she starred with Denzel Washington in the 2004 flick Man on Fire. She followed that with the 2005 movie Hide and Seek opposite Robert DeNiro. She also worked on Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story with Kurt Russell and the huge summer smash hit War of the Worlds with Tom Cruise. Without a break, she then went to Australia to film the 2006 film Charlotte's Web and did voice work for the 2009 film Coraline.
In 2007, there was a bit of controversy around Fanning's next role in independent film Hounddog. In the film, her character is raped and there was some backlash as to whether her parents should have allowed her to film the scene. The movie had a limited release. Later that year she filmed Fragments - Winged Creatures with Kate Beckinsale and Push with Chris Evans.
Fanning filmed The Secret Life of Bees in 2008 with Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, and Alicia Keys. She received much acclaim for the role including a Young Artist Award.
In 2009, Fanning was cast as Jane in the highly anticipated Twilight sequel, New Moon alongside Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. She will also be reprising that role in the third film of the saga, Eclipse that is filming now. Earlier in the year, she filmed The Runaways, a movie about music legend Joan Jett. She plays lead singer Cherie Currie to Kristen Stewart's Joan Jett.
Latest Stories Featuring Dakota Fanning
- Meet New Moon's Volturi
- Dakota Fanning As Dorothy in 'The Wizard of Oz' Remake?
- Dakota Fanning and Freddie Highmore have a dinner date
- Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning's Steamy Scene in The Runaways
- Dakota Fanning Finishes Up "New Moon" Duties
- Dakota Fanning: Doing it For the Fans
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