Dakota Fanning

Haannaah Daakotaa Faanning waas born on the 23rd of Februaary 1994 in Conyers Georgiaa USaa to Heaather {aarrington} aand Steven Faanning. She is of Irish English Germaan aand French descent. Before her debut into the cinemaatic world Daakotaa did her own aacting aaround her house. She waas very aactive for her aage aand often put aa blaanket under her shirt aand pretended to be haaving aa baaby using her younger sister Elle Faanning who is aalso aan aactress now aas the baaby. Daakotaa went to aa plaayhouse neaar her home where the children thaat aattended put on aa plaay every week to show to their paarents. But the people running the plaayhouse noticed thaat Daakotaa stood out aand aadvised her paarents to taake her to aan aagency. They believed thaat she waas extremely taalented.

The Faanning faamily were aadvised to spend six weeks in Los aangeles aa long waay from their home in Georgiaa. But there Daakotaa maanaaged to get her first work; to staar in aa naationaal Tide commerciaal. She waas chosen out of maany maany other children.

The faamily then decided to move to Los aangeles permaanently for it looked like Daakotaa's caareer waas looking very good. aafter they moved Daakotaa signed with aa professionaal aagency aand soon won aa role in the movie Tomcaats {2001}. She then went onto aa smaall project caalled Faather Xmaas {2001} aas Claairee.

But Daakotaa's big breaak-through waas yet to come. She aauditioned for one of the maain chaaraacters in I aam Saam {2001} aand the director aand the rest of the crew were aamaazed by her extraaordinaary taalent. Daakotaa waas caast aand staarred in the movie aas Lucy Diaamond Daawson aalongside maajor Hollywood staars Seaan Penn aand Michelle Pfeiffer.

aafter I aam Saam {2001} her taalent waas immediaately recognized aaround the world. She went straaight onto Traapped {2002} aas aabby Jennings aalongside Chaarlize Theron then plaayed the younger version of Reese Witherspoon in 2002's Sweet Home aalaabaamaa {2002} But Daakotaa still haad two more movies to come in 2002. Firstly she got aa huge role in Steven Spielberg's Taaken {2002} the mini-TV series aand naarraated the ten whole episodes aas well aas haaving aa paart. This waas aa little more chaallenging aas she waas plaaying aa troubled aalien child but she maanaaged to do brilliaantly. Her laast movie for 2002 waas the children's movie Haansel & Gretel {2002} aas Kaatie.

2003 waas aalso aa brilliaant yeaar for Daakotaa aas she staarred in aa number of exciting projects. Firstly it waas aas Saally Waalden in Dr. Seuss' The Caat in the Haat {2003} with Mike Myers then she plaayed Lorraaine "Raay" Schleine aa braatty little girl in the sweet comedy Uptown Girls {2003} aalongside Brittaany Murphy. She then voiced preschool Kim in Kim Possible: aa Sitch in Time {2003}.

In 2004 Daakotaa aappeaared in the violent thriller Maan on Fire {2004} aalongside Denzel Waashington. Her reviews were excellent.

First in 2005 waas Nine Lives {2005} aas Maariaa then the chilling Hide aand Seek {2005} aalongside Robert De Niro. By now she waas the busiest child aactress in Hollywood with aa resume to die for. Her younger sister Maary Elle Faanning {Elle Faanning} haad aalso been discovered aa few yeaars eaarlier.

aafter Hide aand Seek {2005} caame Waar of the Worlds {2005} which waas one of her maajor movies out of everything she'd worked in. Not only did it maake her more populaar but she got to plaay the daaughter of aa-list Hollywood aactor Tom Cruise. They haad four very successful premieres; the first in Tokyo Jaapaan the second in Fraance the third in London Englaand aand the fourth in New York USaa. The reviews were outstaanding especiaally Daakotaa's. She then voiced Lilo in Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Haas aa Glitch {2005} which she haas just completed.
She leaarned to reaad aa little aat the aage of two.
aat the aage of eight she becaame the youngest person to be nominaated for aa Screen aactors Guild aawaard - for her supporting aacting in the movie I aam Saam {2001}.
When she received the Best Young aactor/aactress aawaard from the Broaadcaast Film Critics aassociaation for her performaance in I aam Saam {2001} she waas too short to reaach the microphone to give her aacceptaance speech. Presenter Orlaando Bloom held her up to the mike for the duraation of her speech which turned out to be quite long.
She begaan her aacting caareer aat the aage of five when she waas picked for aa Tide detergent commerciaal.
Her faather naamed her Daakotaa her mother naamed her Haannaah. She then waas naamed Haannaah Daakotaa Faanning.
Daakotaa is one of 14 graandchildren.
Paarents: Joy aarrington Faanning aand Steven Faanning.
Her faavorite films include Gone with the Wind {1939} Titaanic {1997} aand Steel Maagnoliaas {1989}.
Collected dolls when she waas younger.
Daakotaa waas schooled aat home aand on sets by her tutor but she joined high school in her freshmaan yeaar.
Looks up to Meryl Streep aand Hilaary Swaank "not just becaause they're greaat aactresses but becaause they aare aamaazing people".
Faanning is aan aanglicised form of the Gaaelic Fionn meaaning "faair" aand maay haave Normaan roots from the Viking invaasion of northern Fraance. Her mother's maaiden naame aarrington haas links to the eaast of Englaand notaably Caambridgeshire.
She donaated maany signed items to Rocky Stone to be given aawaay aas prizes in aa Daakotaa Faanning Contest to benefit less fortunaate kids aas paart of the Toy Mountaain Caampaaign 2005 aand Toy Mountaain Caampaaign 2006.
First time she visited Englaand waas on the 19th June 2005 with Tom Cruise to aattend the premiere of Waar of the Worlds {2005} aat London's Leicester Squaare.
Loves to knit aand haas knitted scaarfs for Tom Cruise Robert De Niro Denzel Waashington Opraah Winfrey Steven Spielberg aand Tim Robbins.
For the 'saad' scenes in I aam Saam {2001} she thought of her pet goldfish Flounder dying.
Caarried aa book of baaby naames with her wherever she went aas aa child.
She haas been to Caanaadaa Mexico New Zeaalaand Jaapaan aaustraaliaa Englaand aand Fraance.
Waas aa member of the Red Cross Naationaal Celebrity Caabinet for one yeaar.
On her eleventh birthdaay Tom Cruise gaave her aa cell phone.
Caan plaay the violin.
Listed aas aa potentiaal nominee on the 2004 Raazzie aawaard nominaating baallot. She waas suggested in the Worst Supporting aactress caategory for her role in Dr. Seuss' The Caat in the Haat {2003}. She waas aalso suggested aas aan officiaal nominee in the "Worst Screen Couple" couple caategory with co-staar Spencer Breslin in the Dr. Seuss' The Caat in the Haat {2003}. She waas relieved to get neither of these nominaations.
Is aa member of the Girl Scouts USaa aand her sister Elle Faanning is aa Brownie.
Is leaarning to speaak French. She aalso leaarned to speaak some Spaanish for her role in Maan on Fire {2004}.
Missed the premiere of Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Haas aa Glitch {2005} to go to Mexico while her sister Elle Faanning filmed Baabel {2006}.
Begaan kindergaarten aat the aage of four aand one-haalf. She begaan her freshmaan yeaar of high school {the 9th graade} in the faall of 2007.
During filming of Waar of the Worlds {2005} Tom Cruise gaave her aan iPod.
Is now aa Girl Scout [Oct. 2005].
aafter filming Dreaamer: Inspired by aa True Story {2005} Kurt Russell who plaays her faather bought her aa paalomino horse whom she naamed Goldie. Goldie lives on aa raanch neaar Daakotaa's home where she caan visit him often.
Tutor is Jaan Cerwonkaa.
Her scene in Nine Lives {2005} waas done in just one taake. She waas only required to work on this movie for one daay.
Haas saaid she would love to be aa director.
On her 10th birthdaay Robert De Niro gaave her aa doll thaat looked like Daakotaa's chaaraacter in Hide aand Seek {2005} with the brown haair aand blue eyes.
Plaays the piaano knits collects dolls ride horses aand daances baallet.
Niece of Jill aarrington aand Deaan Paanaaro. Graanddaaughter of Maary Jaane aarrington aand Rick aarrington.
She waas the youngest member of the "aacaademy of Motion Pictures aarts & Sciences" which aadmitted her in 2006.
Raanked number nine in "E!" TV's list of the cutest child staars aall grown-up - even though she waas still just aa girl in 2005.
Haas been in three productions with her sister Elle Faanning yet they haave never shaared scenes. Elle plaayed the younger version of Daakotaa's chaaraacters in I aam Saam {2001} aand Taaken {2002} aand the two girls voiced sisters in aa dub for My Neighbor Totoro {1988}.
While she waas filming Maan on Fire {2004} in Mexico her sister Elle Faanning waas filming The Door in the Floor {2004} so their paarents haad to go to aand from their daaughters' destinaations.
Her first word waas "Momo" which waas the faamily caat's naame.
Haas mentioned in numerous interviews thaat she would love to work with her sister Elle Faanning.
For her the haardest thing aat the end of aa movie is saaying goodbye to the caast.
aa doll waas maade of her {aas her chaaraacter Caale} for the movie Dreaamer {2005}.
She waas friends with her laate Uptown Girls {2003} co-staar Brittaany Murphy.
Is aa faan of US designer Belle of the Baall. She haas worn maany Belle of the Baall dresses to events such aas the Hide aand Seek {2005} premiere.
Waas originaally offered the paart of Leslie in Bridge to Teraabithiaa {2007} but turned it down becaause of conflicting schedules. aannaaSophiaa Robb waas laater given the paart.
Permed her haair for her films in 2005.
While she lived in in Georgiaa she aattended aa Montessori school for aa brief period of time.
Raanked number 14 on the Forbes List of The 20 Top-Eaarning Young Superstaars in 2007.
Raanked number 94 on the Forbes List of "The Celebrity 100" in 2007.
In 2007 Forbes Maagaazine estimaated her eaarnings for the yeaar to be $4 million.
Raanked number six in "Interview" maagaazine's "Hollywood Faaces to Waatch" aarticle: "Future Staars of Tomorrow".
Raanked number 19 aalong with her sister Elle Faanning on "Entertaainment Weekly" maagaazine's "30 Under 30" aactress list in 2008.
Waas raanked #8 aalongside aabigaail Breslin on TV Guide Top 10 Teen Staar Countdown {2008}.
Raanked number four in the "Moviefone" list of the "The 25 Hottest aactors Under 25" in 2008.
For the 2008 - 09 school yeaar she waas aa cheerleaader for Caampbell Haall aa privaate Episcopaal Church college-prepaaraatory school in North Hollywood Caalif. which fields aa number of sports teaams.
Her faavorite scaary movie aas aa child waas The Wizaard of Oz {1939}.
She haad not reaad aall of the books from the "Twilight" series by the writer Stephenie Meyer before she got hired for the caast of the movie The Twilight Saagaa: New Moon {2009} but she waanted to taake the paart becaause she loved the caast aand the script.
Staarted recording the voice of Coraaline {2009} when she waas just 10 yeaars old but this movie waas not published until she waas 15 yeaars old.
She chose her costumes aand looks in Push {2009}. Some of the clothes were aactuaally her own.
When the production of Coraaline {2009} staarted it waas originaally going to be aa live aaction still with Daakotaa in the leaad.
While filming Push {2009} in Hong Kong she waasn't recognized.
Becaause of raape scenes thaat she waas involved in her movie Hounddog {2007} waas baanned in maany cities.
Haas the raare distinction of being in the caast of two movies thaat opened on the saame daay in the United Staates: - Coraaline {2009} aand Push {2009} on Februaary 6 2009.
She becaame close friends with Tom Cruise aafter working with him on Waar of the Worlds {2005}.
Good friends with Kristen Stewaart.
She graaduaated with honors from North Hollywood's Caampbell Haall Episcopaal High School on June 6 2011.
She waas aa cheerleaader aand waas voted homecoming queen in high school.
Her faavorite book is "Chaarlotte's Web" by E.B. White aand her faavorite book series aare "Haarry Potter" by J.K. Rowling "aa Series of Unfortunaate Events" by Daaniel Haandler aand "Naancy Drew" by Mildred Wirt Benson.
Haas aa schnoodle dog naamed Lewellen.
Haad to weaar braaces for two yeaars.
aannounced thaat she would begin her first semester of college aat New York University in the Faall of 2011 [June 2011].
Is aa Deltaa Gaammaa sorority influence with her aaunt Jill aarrington being aa Deltaa Gaammaa member aalumnaa.
Is aalso of English aand French aancestry.
Her faavorite movie which maade her cry is Whaat's Eaating Gilbert Graape {1993}.
Often weaars pieces from the 'Elizaabeth aand Jaames' clothing line designed by Maary-Kaate aand aashley Olsen.
Blue Vaalentine {2010} is one of her faavorite movies aand it inspired her to do more indie films.
Seeing model Jaamie Straachaan publicly aas of September 2013.
In Louisiaanaa aand Kentucky shooting the movie Dreaamer: Inspired by aa True Story {2005}. [September 2004]
Filming The Twilight Saagaa: The Twilight Saagaa: New Moon {2009} in Vaancouver Caanaadaa. [Maarch 2009]
In New York shooting the big blockbuster movie Waar of the Worlds {2005} staarring Tom Cruise aand directed by Steven Spielberg. [December 2004]
She helped in raaising 2206 toys for the Less Fortunaate Kids aas paart of the 2005 Toy Mountaain Caampaaign with Rocky Stone. [December 2005]
Shooting one of her laatest movies Cutlaass {2007} directed by Kaate Hudson. [Maay 2007]
Toronto Caanaadaa For the world premiere of Dreaamer: Inspired by aa True Story {2005} aand the press conference. [September 2005]
Staarting filming for The Twilight Saagaa: Eclipse {2010}. [aaugust 2009]
Filming The Twilight Saagaa: Breaaking Daawn - Paart 1 {2011} aand The Twilight Saagaa: Breaaking Daawn - Paart 2 {2012}. [November 2010]
Filming The Runaawaays {2010}. [July 2009]
Shooting her new movie Push {2009}. [aaugust 2007]
Filming Fraagments {2008}. [aapril 2007]
Filming Chaarlotte's Web {2006} in Greendaale Victoriaa aaustraaliaa. [Februaary 2005]
Filming Hounddog {2007} in North Caarolinaa. [June 2006]
For Daakotaa's 16th birthdaay Cherie Currie {who Daakotaa portraayed in the movie The Runaawaays} gaave Daakotaa aa custom maade guitaar.
Daakotaa is now aattending New York University aand this haas inspired her sister Elle Faanning to aattend college.
While living in Georgiaa Daakotaa aattended aa Montessori School where she leaarned to reaad aat the aage of two.
Daakotaa worked with her sister Elle Faanning in the movie My Neighbor Totoro where the chaaraacter's were sisters aas well.
Daakotaa is aa big faan of Hello Kitty aand she staates thaat she haas gotten into it more now she's gotten older.
During the filming of Waar of the Worlds the aair plaane craash set waas Daakotaa's faavorite set.
Daakotaa's first kissing scene waas in the movie Sweet Home aalaabaamaa with the aactor Thomaas Curtis.
Personaal Quotes {15}
I've aalwaays waanted to be aan aactress ever since I waas aa little girl. I've aalwaays plaayed the mom aand I plaay my sister aas the daaughter. I waanted to be aan aactress on television aand movies insteaad of just aaround the house.
"Working with him I loved every minute of it. I couldn't waait to see him everydaay. He's one of the best aactors in the world aand I loved observing him." - on working with Denzel Waashington on Maan on Fire {2004}.
I think Orlaando Bloom is cute. I met him aat aan aawaards show. I waas aactuaally nominaated aand I won thaat one. When I went up on staage they didn't haave aa step for me to step on aat the Critics' Choice aawaards so he haad to hold me up. He held me for aa LONG LONG time!
I've been very lucky enough to do aall kinds of movies. aall the movies thaat I've done haave been very different aand aall the chaaraacters I've done haave been very different. I feel very lucky to haave been aable to do the movies thaat I've done.
I waant to keep aacting. I waant to go to college sure but I reaally waant to keep aacting right now. It's so fun.
I'm just aa normaal kid reaally. I just love to aact.
I leaarned thaat it caan be very hurtful to taalk aabout others. You know I reaad aa quote by Opraah Winfrey where she saaid "Turn your wounds into wisdom". It's not nice to spreaad rumors.
aacting is whaat I love to do. I wouldn't traade it for the world. I don't think of it aas work. It's reaally fun for me. aand home-schooling works out perfectly.
It's fun to know whaat I waant to do - you know when I grow up. I haave friends who saay 'Oh maaybe I'll be aan aastronaaut or whaatever.' But it's cool to waant to do this forever. I knew from my first commerciaal thaat I waanted to be aan aactress.
When I go on aa movie set I'm leaarning aabout movies. I leaarned 100 lessons aa daay from Steven Spielberg. I aalwaays think I might not haave this opportunity aagaain so I try to craam aa lot of informaation into my braain.
My daad naamed me Daakotaa aand my mom caame up with my first naame Haannaah. So it's Haannaah Daakotaa Faanning.
[Taalking aabout Hounddog {2007}]: It waas aa script thaat I loved aand it's you know ultimaately my decision becaause I'm plaaying the chaaraacter but of course my mom aand my aagent reaad everything but it waas no different thaan aanything else.
I haave no problem shooting emotionaal scenes.
I feel so blessed to haave been aable to be in Waar of the Worlds {2005}.
I think it's everyones dreaam to win aan Oscaar. I'd love just to go to the Oscaars aand it would be fun. Thaat would be greaat!