Birth Name: Hannah Dakota Fanning

Nickname: Kota

Category: Actress

Born: February 23, 1994

Location: Conyers, Georgia, USA

Astrological Sign: Pisces

Zodiac Year: Dog

Age: 16

Height: 5' 3½" (1.61 m)

Grade Level: 11th (2009-2010)

Hair: Blonde

Eyes: Blue

Filmography:
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) .... Jane
The Runaways (2010) .... Cherie Currie
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) .... Jane
Coraline (2009) (voice) .... Coraline Jones
Push (2009) .... Cassie Holmes
Coraline (2009) (VG) (voice) .... Coraline Jones
The Secret Life of Bees (2008) .... Lily Owens
Winged Creatures (2008) .... Anne Hagen
Cutlass (2007) .... Lacy
Hounddog (2007) .... Lewellen
Charlotte's Web (2006) .... Fern
Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (2005) .... Cale Crane
Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005) (V) .... Lilo
War of the Worlds (2005) .... Rachel Ferrier
Hide and Seek (2005) .... Emily Callaway
Nine Lives (2005) .... Maria
"Justice League" .... Young Wonder Woman (1 episode, 2004)
Man on Fire (2004) .... Pita
"Friends" .... Mackenzie (1 episode, 2004)
Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time (2003) (TV) (voice) .... Preschool Kim
The Cat in the Hat (2003) .... Sally
Uptown Girls (2003) .... Lorraine "Ray" Schleine
"Taken" (2002/I) (mini) TV Series .... Allison Clarke
Hansel & Gretel (2002) .... Katie
Trapped (2002) .... Abigail Jennings
Sweet Home Alabama (2002) .... Young Melanie
I Am Sam (2001) .... Lucy Diamond Dawson
"The Ellen Show" .... Young Ellen (1 episode, 2001)
"Family Guy" .... Little Girl (1 episode, 2001)
Tomcats (2001) .... Little Girl in Park
"The Fighting Fitzgeralds" .... Marie (1 episode, 2001)
"Malcolm in the Middle" .... Emily (1 episode, 2001)
Father Xmas (2001) .... Clairee
"Spin City" .... Cindy (1 episode, 2000)
"The Practice" .... Alessa Engel (1 episode, 2000)
"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" .... Brenda Collins (1 episode, 2000)
"Strong Medicine" .... Edie's Girl (1 episode, 2000)
"Ally McBeal" .... 5 Year Old Ally (1 episode, 2000)
"ER" .... Delia Chadsey (1 episode, 2000)
Tonari no Totoro (1988) (voice: English version) .... Satsuki (2005 Disney version)

Biography:
Hannah Dakota Fanning (born February 23, 1994), better known simply as Dakota Fanning, is an American actress. Fanning's breakthrough performance was in I Am Sam in 2001. As a child actress, she appeared in high-profile films such as Man on Fire, War of the Worlds, and Charlotte's Web. Fanning began transitioning to more adult roles with Hounddog and The Secret Life of Bees. She has won numerous awards and is the youngest person ever to have been nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Fanning was born in Conyers, Georgia, the daughter of Joy (née Arrington), who played tennis professionally, and Steve Fanning, who played minor league baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals and now works as an electronics salesman in Los Angeles. Her maternal grandfather was former American football player, Rick Arrington, and her aunt is former ESPN reporter Jill Arrington. Dakota is the older sister of Elle Fanning, also an actress.
Her father had wanted to name her "Dakota" and her mother wanted to name her "Hannah".
Fanning is of half German descent and her last name is of Irish origin. Fanning and her family are members of the Southern Baptist Convention. Fanning attends Campbell Hall School in North Hollywood, California and is on the varsity spirit cheerleading squad.
Fanning began acting at the age of five after appearing on 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.")
Fanning subsequently had several guest roles on established television series, including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Practice, Spin City. 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 the movie I Am Sam, the story of a mentally challenged man who fights for the custody of his daughter (played by Fanning).
Her role in the film made Fanning the youngest person ever to be nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award, being seven years of age at the time. She also won the Best Young Actor/Actress award from the Broadcast Film Critics Association for her performance.
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."
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 an immature nanny played by Brittany Murphy in Uptown Girls, and as Sally in The Cat in the Hat.
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 a little girl in the Fox series Family Guy, and as young Wonder Woman in an episode of Cartoon Network's Justice League.
Dakota Fanning at the London premiere of War of the Worlds in June 2005.In 2004, Fanning appeared in Man on Fire as Pita, a nine-year-old who wins over the heart of a retired mercenary (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."
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."[14] 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." Fanning also recorded voice work for Coraline during this time.
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 her father in the movie, says, "I guarantee you, (Dakota) is the best actress I will work with in my entire career." Kris Kristofferson, who plays her character's grandfather in the movie, said that she's like Bette Davis reincarnated.
While promoting her role in Dreamer, Fanning 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. She is not a member of a troop, but rather registered as a "Juliette", GSUSA's title for independently registered girls.
She then went directly to the set of War of the Worlds, starring alongside Tom Cruise. Released in reverse order (War in June 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."
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 15, 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."
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 parents have been criticized for allowing her to film a scene in which her character is raped. However, in response, Fanning said that "It's not really happening," to Reuters. "It's a movie, and it's called acting." 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."
In 2006, at the age of 12, she was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, becoming the youngest member in the Academy's history.
In March and April 2007, she filmed Fragments - Winged Creatures, alongside Kate Beckinsale, Guy Pearce, Josh Hutcherson, and Academy Award winners Forest Whitaker and Jennifer Hudson. She plays Anne Hagen, a girl who witnesses her father's murder and who turns to religion in the aftermath.
In July 2007, Fanning filmed for three days a short film titled Cutlass, one of Glamour's "Reel Moments" based on readers' personal essays. Cutlass was directed by Kate Hudson.
From September to December 2007, Fanning filmed Push which centers on a group of young American expatriates 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. Fanning plays Cassie Holmes, a thirteen-year-old psychic.
Fanning at the July 2008 San Diego Comic-ConIn January 2008, Fanning began filming the movie adaptation of The Secret Life of Bees, a novel by Sue Monk Kidd. Set in South Carolina in 1964, the story centers on Lily Owens (Fanning), who escapes her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father by running away with her caregiver and only friend (played by Jennifer Hudson) to a South Carolina town where they are taken in by an eccentric trio of beekeeping sisters (played by Queen Latifah, Sophie Okonedo and Alicia Keys). Her movies Coraline and Push were released on the same day, February 6, 2009.
Fanning played Jane in New Moon and Eclipse, based on novels by Stephenie Meyer. New Moon was released on November 20, 2009, and Eclipse is set for release in June 2010.
She finished filming the movie The Runaways alongside Kristen Stewart, Stella Maeve, and Scout Taylor-Compton, where she plays Cherie Currie, the lead singer of the band.

Trivia:
Learned to read at age 2.
At the age of 8, became the youngest person to be nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award, for her supporting performance in I Am Sam (2001).
When she received the Best Young Actor/Actress award from the Broadcast Film Critics Association for her performance in I Am Sam (2001), she was too short to reach the microphone to give her acceptance speech. Presenter Orlando Bloom held her up to the mike for the duration of her speech, which turned out to be quite long.
Began her acting career at 5 when she was picked for a Tide commercial.
Older sister of Elle Fanning.
Her father named her Dakota, her mother named her Hannah. She then was named Hannah Dakota Fanning.
Dakota is one of 14 grandchildren.
Parents: Joy and Steve Fanning.
Her favourite films include Gone with the Wind (1939), Titanic (1997) and Steel Magnolias (1989).
Collects dolls.
Was home-schooled through 8th grade and now attends Campbell Hall (Class of '11).
Looks up to Meryl Streep and Hilary Swank, "not just because they're great actresses, but because they are amazing people".
Her last name "Fanning" is of Irish origin. Also, she is of half-German descent.
She donated many signed items to Rocky Stone to be given away as prizes in a Dakota Fanning Contest to benefit less fortunate kids as part of the Toy Mountain Campaign 2005 and Toy Mountain Campaign 2006.
First time she visited England was on the 19th June 2005 with Tom Cruise, to attend the premiere of War of the Worlds (2005) at London's Leicester Square.
Loves to knit and has knitted scarfs for Tom Cruise, Robert De Niro, Denzel Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg and Tim Robbins.
For the 'sad' scenes in I Am Sam (2001), she thought of her pet goldfish, Flounder, dying.
Carries a book of baby names with her wherever she goes.
Has been to Mexico, New Zealand, Japan, Australia, England, France and Canada.
Is a member of the Red Cross.
On her eleventh birthday, Tom Cruise gave her a cell phone.
Is friends with Daveigh Chase.
Can play the violin.
Was listed as a potential nominee on the 2004 Razzie Award nominating ballot. She was suggested in the Worst Supporting Actress category for her role in The Cat in the Hat (2003). She was also suggested in the Worst Screen Couple couple category with co-star Spencer Breslin in the The Cat in the Hat (2003). She failed to receive either nomination.
Is a member of the Girl Scouts USA, and her sister Elle Fanning is a Brownie.
Is learning to speak French. She also learned to speak some Spanish for her role in Man on Fire (2004).
Missed the premiere of Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005) (V) to go to Mexico while her sister Elle Fanning filmed Babel (2006).
Started kindergarten at age 4½ and will start her freshman year of high school (9th grade) in the fall of 2007.
During filming of War of the Worlds (2005), Tom Cruise gave her an iPod.
Is now a Girl Scout [Oct. 2005].
After filming Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (2005), Kurt Russell, who plays her father, bought her a palomino horse, whom she named Goldie. Goldie lives on a ranch near Dakota's home where she can visit him often.
Tutor is Jan Cerwonka.
Her scene in Nine Lives (2005) was done in one take. She got to work on the movie only for one day.
Has said she would love to be a director.
On her 10th birthday, Robert De Niro gave her a doll that looked like Dakota's character in Hide and Seek (2005), with the brown hair and blue eyes.
Plays the piano, knits, collects dolls, ride horses and dances ballet.
Niece of Jill Arrington.
Is the youngest member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences (she joined in 2006).
Was ranked #9 in E's most cutest child stars all grown-up even if she still is a child.(2005)
Has been in three productions with her sister Elle Fanning, yet they have never shared scenes. Elle played the younger version of Dakota's characters in I Am Sam (2001) and "Taken" (2002), and the two girls voiced sisters in a dub for Tonari no Totoro (1988).
While she was filming Man on Fire (2004) in Mexico, her sister Elle Fanning was filming The Door in the Floor (2004), so their parents had to go to and from their daughters' destinations.
Her first word was "Momo," which was the family cat's name.
Has mentioned in numerous interviews that she would love to work with her sister, Elle Fanning.
For her, the hardest thing at the end of a movie is saying goodbye to the cast.
A doll was made of her (as her character, Cale) for the movie Dreamer (2005).
Friends with her Uptown Girls (2003) co-star Brittany Murphy.
Is a fan of US designer Belle of the Ball. She has worn many Belle of the Ball dresses to events such as the Hide and Seek (2005) premiere.
Was originally offered the part of Leslie in Bridge to Terabithia (2007), but turned it down because of conflicting schedules. AnnaSophia Robb was later given the part.
Has naturally curly hair.
Whilst in Georgia, she attended a Montessori school.
Was ranked #14 on Forbes List of The 20 Top-Earning Young Superstars (2007).
Was ranked #94 on Forbes List of The Celebrity 100 (2007).
In 2007, Forbes Magazine estimated her earnings for the year to be $4 million.
Ranked #6 on interview magazines Hollywood faces to watch "Future Stars of Tomorrow".
Was ranked #19 alongside her sister Elle on Entertainment Weekly's '30 Under 30' actress list (2008).
Was ranked #8 alongside Abigail Breslin on TV Guide Top 10 Teen Star Countdown (2008).
Was ranked #4 on Moviefone's 'The 25 Hottest Actors Under 25'(2008).
Is German/Irish.
For the 2008-2009 school year she is a cheerleader for Campbell Hall, a private Episcopal college-preparatory school in North Hollywood, California, which fields a number of sports teams under the nickname "The Vikings".
Her favorite scary movie as a child, was The Wizard of Oz (1939).
Hadn't read all the books from the "Twilight" series by Stephenie Meyer before she was cast in The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) but she wanted to do it, because she loved the cast, and the movie.
Started voicing Coraline (2009) when she was 10 years old. However the movie was released when she was 14 almost 15.
She chose her costumes and looks in Push (2009). Some of the clothes were actually her own.
When the production of Coraline (2009) started, it was originally going to be a live action, still with Dakota in the lead.
While filming Push (2009) in Hong Kong, she wasn't recognized.
Because of her rape scenes, her movie Hounddog (2007) was banned in a lot of cities.
Has the rare distinction of being in two movies that opened on the same day in the U.S. - Coraline (2009) and Push (2009) (February 6, 2009).

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External Links:
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Page Last Updated: 25th November 2009