Who is Hannah Dakota Fanning?
The entertainment and acting world knows
Dakota Fanning as 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 the transition to more adult roles with
Hounddog and
The Secret Life of Bees. Recent films have included
The Twilight Saga and
The Runaways. She has won numerous awards and is the youngest nominee for a
Screen Actors Guild Award.
Early and personal life
Fanning was born February 23, 1994 in
Conyers, Georgia, the daughter of Joy (
née Arrington), who played
tennis professionally, and Steve J. Fanning, who played
minor league baseball and now works as an electronics salesman in
Los Angeles.
[2][3] Her maternal grandfather was former
American football player,
Rick Arrington, and her aunt is former
ESPN reporter
Jill Arrington.
[4] Dakota is the older sister of
Elle Fanning, also an actress.
Fanning has
German and
Irish ancestry.
[5] She and her family are
Southern Baptist.
[6] In June 2011, she graduated from
Campbell Hall School in
North Hollywood, California,
[7] where she participated on the varsity spirit
cheerleading squad and was voted homecoming queen.
[8][9]
Fanning has been accepted early into
New York University and will enroll in Fall 2011.
[10]
Acting career
Early years
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.").
[11]
Fanning subsequently had several guest roles on established television series, including
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,
The Practice, and
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.
[12] She also won the Best Young Actor/Actress award from the
Broadcast Film Critics Association for her performance.
[13]
2002–2003
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."
[14]
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, including voicing Satsuki in
Disney's
English language release of
My Neighbor Totoro, a little girl in the
Fox series
Family Guy, and a young
Wonder Woman in an episode of
Cartoon Network's
Justice League.
2004–2005
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."
[15]
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."
[16] 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."
[17] Fanning also recorded voice work for
Coraline during this time.
[18]
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."
[19] Kris Kristofferson, who plays her character's grandfather in the movie, said that she's like
Bette Davis reincarnated.
[20]
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.
[21] 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."
[22]
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. 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."
[23]
2006–2007
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."
[24] 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."
[25]
In 2006, at the age of twelve, she was invited to join the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, becoming the youngest member in the Academy's history.
[26] Her income for 2006 was $4 million, earning her the fourth place in
Forbes Magazine's list of top-earning stars aged under 21.
[27]
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.
[28] Fanning played Cassie Holmes, a 13-year-old psychic.
2008–2009
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, a member of the Volturi Guard, in
New Moon and reprised the role in
Eclipse, based on novels by
Stephenie Meyer.
[30] New Moon was released on November 20, 2009, and
Eclipse was released on June 30, 2010.
2010–present
In 2010, she starred in the movie
The Runaways, alongside
Kristen Stewart,
Stella Maeve, and
Scout Taylor-Compton, where she played
Cherie Currie, the lead singer of
the band. In late 2010/early 2011, Fanning filmed
Breaking Dawn, reprising the role of Jane.
[31]
Dakota was originally set to star as Mia, the lead role in the film adaption of
If I Stay based on the novel, but later withdrew from the project. In December 2010, it was announced that Fanning would not be filming any lead roles until after she finishes high school in 2011.
[32]
Dakota Fanning will play
Princess Margaret in the upcoming film
Girls' Night Out.
[33] She will play Annie James in "The Motel Life" in February. She has also signed onto "Mississippi Wild", which will begin production in Atlanta on March 21, 2011 and will be released into theaters in 2012.
Filmography
Awards and nominations
List of awards and nominations
| Year | Title of work | Award | Category | Result |
| 2001 | I Am Sam | Broadcast Film Critics Association Award | Best Young Actress | Won |
| 2002 | I Am Sam | Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award | Youth in Film | Won |
| 2002 | I Am Sam | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role | Nominated |
| 2002 | I Am Sam | Satellite Award | Outstanding New Talent | Won |
| 2002 | I Am Sam | Chicago Film Critics Association Award | Most Promising Performer | Nominated |
| 2002 | I Am Sam | Young Artist Award | Best Performance in a Feature Film – Young Actress Age Ten or Under | Won |
| 2003 | Taken | Young Artist Award | Best Performance in a TV Movie, Mini-Series or Special – Leading Young Actress | Nominated |
| 2003 | Taken | Saturn Award | Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series | Nominated |
| 2004 | Man on Fire | Broadcast Film Critics Association Award | Best Young Actress | Nominated |
| 2004 | The Cat in the Hat | Young Artist Award | Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actress | Nominated |
| 2005 | Man on Fire | Young Artist Award | Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actress | Nominated |
| 2005 | Nine Lives | Gotham Award | Best Ensemble Cast | Nominated |
| 2005 | Nine Lives | Locarno International Film Festival | Best Actress | Won |
| 2005 | Hide and Seek | MTV Movie Award | Best Frightened Performance | Won |
| 2005 | N/A | Relly Awards | Best Junior Achiever | Won |
| 2005 | War of the Worlds | Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards | Youth in Film | Won |
| 2005 | War of the Worlds | Irish Film and Television Award | Best International Actress | Nominated |
| 2005 | War of the Worlds | Broadcast Film Critics Association Award | Best Young Actress | Won |
| 2006 | War of the Worlds | MTV Movie Award | Best Frightened Performance | Nominated |
| 2006 | War of the Worlds | Saturn Award | Best Performance by a Younger Actor | Won |
| 2005 | Dreamer | Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | Favourite Movie Actress | Nominated |
| 2005 | Dreamer | Young Artist Award | Best Performance in a Feature Film (Comedy or Drama) – Leading Young Actress | Won |
| 2006 | Charlotte's Web | Broadcast Film Critics Association Award | Best Young Actress | Nominated |
| 2007 | Charlotte's Web | Young Artist Award | Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actress | Nominated |
| 2007 | Charlotte's Web | Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | Favourite Movie Actress | Won |
| 2008 | The Secret Life of Bees | Black Reel Award | Best Ensemble Cast | Nominated |
| 2008 | The Secret Life of Bees | Broadcast Film Critics Association Award | Best Young Actress | Nominated |
| 2009 | The Secret Life of Bees | Young Artist Award | Best Performance in a Feature Film (Comedy or Drama) – Leading Young Actress | Won |
| 2010 | Coraline | Young Artist Award | Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role – Young Actor/Actress | Nominated |
| 2010 | The Runaways | MTV Movie Award | Best Kiss | Nominated |
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Michael Clarke Duncan is an American actor, best known for his breakout role as John Coffey in The Green Mile, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.
Duncan was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in a single-parent household with his sister, Judy, and mother, Jean Duncan (a house cleaner), after his father left.[1][2] He always wanted to act, but had to drop out of the Communications program at Alcorn State University to support his family when his mother became ill. Duncan's large frame—6 feet 5 inches (196 cm)[3] and 315 pounds (142 kg)—helped him in his jobs digging ditches for the People's Gas Company and being a bouncer at different Chicago clubs. Duncan has stated that one of his many jobs had been a stripper and that his stage name was Black Caesar.[4]
In 1979, he participated in the Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox: he was among the first 100 people to run onto the field and he slid into third base. During the ensuing riot his silver belt buckle was stolen[5] while he was stealing a baseball bat from the dugout.[6]
Duncan was born December 10, 1957 in Chicago, Illinois. Duncan took other security jobs while in Los Angeles while trying to get some acting work in commercials. During this time, he worked as a bodyguard for celebrities like Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Jamie Foxx, LL Cool J, and The Notorious B.I.G. all the while doing bit parts in television and films. When the Notorious B.I.G. was killed in 1997, a friend was covering for Duncan. This was the reason for Duncan to quit this line of work.[3] In 1998, Duncan was cast as Bear in the film Armageddon, where he struck up a friendship with castmate Bruce Willis. It was Bruce Willis' influence that helped him to get his breakout role as John Coffey in the Frank Darabont-directed The Green Mile, a role which netted him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture.[7][8]
Duncan then was cast in a string of films that helped to establish him as a star: The Whole Nine Yards, Planet of the Apes, The Scorpion King (where he starred alongside his friend, The Rock), The Island and Daredevil as Wilson Fisk, aka The Kingpin. Wilson Fisk is, by appearance, an overweight corporate head that takes the name Kingpin, but in fact he is the sole person running organized crime. Duncan signed on for the role in January 2002, though he had been attached far earlier.[9] When Duncan was cast, he weighed 290 pounds. He was asked to gain 40 pounds for the role in order to fit the physique of Kingpin. In order to do this, he would lift weights for 30 minutes a day, and power-lifted with one or two reps a day, as well as eating whatever he wanted. Despite this, Duncan's biggest concern was that he is black, whilst Kingpin has always been portrayed as white.[10] He spoke on the fan's loyalty to the source material by saying "they watch movies to say, 'Hey, that's not like the comic book.' But I want them to get past that and just see the movie for what it is and see me for what I am—an actor."[11] In July 2006, Duncan showed interest in returning for the role of the Kingpin, but stated that he would not be willing to gain weight as he felt "comfortable" being down to 270 pounds. However, he jokingly showed willingness to change his mind if he was offered $20 million. Duncan suggested that the character be portrayed as having been training a lot in jail in order to become faster in combat against Daredevil, also working as a way to fit his weight loss into the story.[12]
