With an upcoming role as Jane in Twilight’s New Moon, part of one of the most popular movie series in recent years, Dakota Fanning is keeping up the movie-star status she’s pretty much had all her life.
Baby Steps
Born on February 23, 1994 in the state of Georgia, this young Hollywood actress has already accomplished more, movie-wise, than most celebs do in a lifetime! In fact, it seems like Dakota’s always had the acting bug – she played her first role on stage at just five years old!
After an amazing performance in her first theatre production, Dakota’s fellow cast members told her to get an agent. That’s exactly what she did (with help from mom and dad) and, almost immediately, her agent sent her to Los Angeles for what was supposed to be six weeks of casting calls and tryouts. But weeks turned into months turned into years. Dakota’s first “on-screen” role was in a commercial for Tide laundry detergent. After that she landed guest spots on some pretty big TV shows, including ER, Ally McBeal, The Practice, Malcolm In The Middle and Spin City.
While some actors find it hard to make the leap from TV to film, for Dakota it was a piece of cake. Her first movie was Tomcats in 2001. She followed that up with an award-winning performance as Lucy Diamond Dawson in I Am Sam, a role she played opposite Sean Penn. Since then it’s pretty much been non-stop work for Dakota. In 2002 she shot Trapped and Sweet Home Alabama; 2003 included Uptown Girls and The Cat in the Hat. And in 2004 she got to work with Denzel Washington and Robert De Niro.
Mega Movies
Dakota's starred in so many movies, it's hard to keep count! The list includes:
- The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
- Hurricane Mary (2009) (voice)
- Push (2009)
- Coraline (2009) (voice)
- The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
- Winged Creatures (2008)
- Hounddog (2007)
- Charlotte's Web (2006)
- Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (2005)
- War of the Worlds (2005)
- Nine Lives (2005)
- Hide and Seek (2005)
- Man on Fire (2004)
- The Cat in the Hat (2003)
- Uptown Girls (2003)
- Hansel & Gretel (2003)
- Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
- Trapped (2002)
- I Am Sam (2001)
- Tomcats (2001)
Ella Fanning
Dakota’s younger sister, Elle is following her famous big sis into the movie-making business, appearing as a younger version of Dakota's characters in I Am Sam and Taken. It helps when you’ve got such great genes! Elle’s also played parts in Daddy Day Care and Door in the Floor.
Related Stories:
- New Moon Stills Gallery
- Malcolm In The Middle TV Show Facts
- Sweet Home Alabama DVD Review
- The Cat In The Hat Movie Review
