Dakota Fanning has had a career that was grown in the spotlight. She began her acting career at the age of five, and became famous at the age of seven after the 2001 drama I Am Sam, which made her become the youngest nominee ever for a Screen Actors Guild Award. In the early 2000s, Fanning was one of the most popular child actors and played major roles in the Uptown Girls (2003), Man on Fire (2004), Hide and Seek (2005), War of the Worlds (2005), Charlotte’s Web (2006), and others great films.
Early on in her career, Fanning starred alongside massive stars like Sean Penn, Robert De Niro, Denzel Washington, and Tom Cruise, and people kept asking when the young star would drift away from acting like so many child stars, such as Macaulay Culkin. But Fanning began the transition to more adult roles and stayed on the rails, growing as an artist along the way, which is a rarity in Hollywood. Her semi-adult roles include Jane Volturi in The Twilight Saga, Cherie Currie in The Runaways, Tessa in Now Is Good, and others.
Since then, her films included Brimstone (2016), American Pastoral (2016), Please Stand By (2017), Ocean’s 8 (2018) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019). Also, Fanning has featured in the TV series The Alienist (2018-2020) and The First Lady (2022-present). She’s even set to reunite with Denzel Washington in The Equalizer 3, almost two decades after they starred in Man on Fire,
Fanning starred in nearly 70 films and series and has crafted a brilliant career for herself. Let’s take a look back at some of her best performances in movies.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 Coraline
Focus Features
According to Rotten Tomatoes, Henry Selick’s 2009 stop-motion horror Coraline is the best-reviewed film with Dakota Fanning. Based on Neil Gaiman’s dark fantasy novella of the same name, Coraline tells the story of a girl who discovers another world with sinister secrets. It is a terrifying and beautiful story with superb animation, which received nomination for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The title character in Coraline was voiced brilliantly by Dakota Fanning. Fanning started working on Coraline when she was 10-years-old and had been working on this stop-motion movie on and off for about four years. The young actress was a great choice for the film.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
6 Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Sony Pictures Releasing
An epic throwback to Hollywood’s golden age, Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 comedy-drama Once Upon a Time in Hollywood centers on actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). The film has multiple storylines, including the murder of Sharon Tate (played by Margot Robbie) by Charles Manson’s cult. Dakota Fanning steps into the role of Squeaky Fromme, a criminal who was one of the leading members of the Manson family. Fanning opened up to Net-a-Porter about her experience of working with Tarantino, saying, “It was a dream come true, there’s no other way to describe it. I probably would’ve played any role but the fact that it was such a juicy and challenging one made it even more exciting”.
5 Charlotte’s Web
Paramount Pictures
Based on the E. B. White children’s book of the same name, Charlotte’s Web tells a moving story of friendship. The fantasy film follows Wilbur the pig, his spider friend, Charlotte, and a young girl named Fern (Dakota Fanning) who rescues Wilbur from her father’s ax. It is full of warmth family film. “What hooks you from the start is Dakota Fanning’s unfussy passion as Fern” Entertainment Weekly wrote of the Charlotte’s Web.
4 Now Is Good
Warner Bros. Pictures
The 2012 teen romance drama Now Is Good tells a passionate story about life, following the teenage girl Tessa with terminal acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Before death, she wants to fulfill her bucket list. With the help of her friend Zoey (Kaya Scodelario) and her neighbor Adam (Jeremy Irvine), Tessa tries to enjoy her new experience. It is an innocent and touchy story with Fanning’s amazing performance as Tessa. The film won’t win any points for originality – but there is so much more to Now is Good than just another Bucket List movie.
3 Brimstone
Thunderbird Releasing
A powerful and violent new western movie by Dutch film director Martin Koolhoven, Brimstone is a dark tale about survival. The film follows Dakota Fanning’s mute young woman Liz and the horrific reverend (Guy Pearce) who terrorize Liz and her family. “Brimstone was so unlike anything I’d ever read before, and I immediately wanted to be a part of it”, Fanning told Brief Take. Brimstone is the rare western in which a woman is the main character, and Fanning’s unexpected strength makes the film a must-see.
2 I Am Sam
New Line Cinema
The 2001 drama I Am Sam follows Samuel Dawson (one of the best Sean Penn performances), a man whose mental development stopped at age seven, who fights for custody of his little daughter Lucy (Dakota Fanning). For this heartbreaking movie, Penn was nominated for The Academy Award for Best Actor and Fanning for Screen Actors Guild award. Little Fanning was utterly convincing in her first big movie role and was able to showcase a range of emotions. Later, the young actress will be thrown into dramas with adult themes many times – but she brings a childhood sincerity to each of these early films.
1 The Runaways
Summit Entertainment
The Runaways is a 2010 coming-of-age drama and a musical biopic about the 1970s all-female American rock band of the same name. Directed by Italian-Canadian film director Floria Sigismondi, the movie stars Dakota Fanning as the lead vocalist of the bend Cherie Currie, and Kristen Stewart as guitarist and vocalist Joan Jett. The Runaways is a dazzling and captivating vehicle the brings the 1970s rock era to life. “It’s Fanning’s movie: You can taste the ex-child actor’s relish for playing jailbait,” New York Magazine wrote. Fanning surprises with her good vocals and shows her wild side.
