Dakota Fanning

Dakota Fanning- Hollywood

by Francine Brokaw

Having been in over a dozen films and having received so much attention in her young life, Dakota Fanning is still just a regular eleven-year-old girl who plays with dolls and enjoys the same things other eleven-year-olds enjoy. As she sits on the couch eager to discuss her latest film, Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story, which opens this month, it's difficult to think of this little girl as a big box office star. She doesn't put on airs or take herself too seriously. She is just a regular kid - that is until she gets on set. It is then when she amazes everyone, even her co-stars, with her acting ability and professionalism.

In her new film, Dakota plays a girl who becomes the owner of a horse and ends up entering him in a big horse race. Before the film, Dakota had a love of horses but now has a new appreciation for them, and owns one of her own. Her co-star Kurt Russell gave Dakota a horse after they finished the film, and her eyes sparkle when she talks about both Russell and the horse. About Russell, she admits during the filming, "He was like my dad." Aptly enough, she named her new horse Goldie, not after Goldie Hawn, Russell's partner, but because he is golden in color.

The film was made partly in the horse country of Kentucky, a place rich in history and beauty. Dakota says, "It was so nice to be in Lexington. It's just such a beautiful place and it was always sunny and everybody was nice and happy and I loved being there." Originally from Georgia, she holds a special place in her heart for the South.

In order to ride the horse convincingly for the film, Dakota worked hard and threw herself into the training. "Well, I trained [for about 10 weeks] before I went to Kentucky, and then I trained for 2 weeks once I was in Kentucky." And it shows onscreen. Although a stunt double did the hard parts, Dakota did most of her riding. This talented young girl recently supplied the voice of Lilo in the new Lilo and Stitch film, taking over for Daveigh Chase who has been the voice of Lilo since the original movie. "She did a great job. I've seen the first one and she did really great," Dakota graciously says of Daveigh. Although most of her career she has been on camera, Dakota chuckles when she describes the feeling of watching the animated character. "It's just strange. It's my voice and it's this weird looking person." Lilo and Stitch is not her first foray into the world of animated voice-overs, and this is an area of the business she would love to explore further. "I love doing voice-overs. It's fun 'cause you get to be as loud as you want, and be as big as you want. But I think if they want me to do it again, I would love to. If they don't that's fine. I would love to do it again [though]."

Although she has worked with some of the biggest A-list actors in Hollywood, this young girl is still unfazed by her success. Her costars have included Sean Penn, Michelle Pfeiffer, Reese Witherspoon, Brittany Murphy, Denzel Washington, Mike Meyers and Tom Cruise, yet she remains just a regular little girl. She admits that there are a few people with whom she would love to work, and one in particular stands out in her mind. "I would love to work with Hillary Swank. I got to meet her and she was really nice."

Dakota Fanning is wise beyond her years. Perhaps it is part of her personality, or perhaps it is because she has been in a business that catapulted her into the public's attention at an early age. In any case, when asked if there were any parts she turned down and now has any regrets about, she calmly states, "No. I think everything kind of happens for a reason. And if that happens it's meant to be." She smiles when she says, "I think it would be cool to be a director," but also lights up and claims, "I can't imagine me not doing acting. I think I want to be an actress forever." Nothing else interests her at this time in her life. "I enjoy what I'm doing," she says with pride.

As far as any advice she can give to other young kids wanting to follow in her footsteps, she profoundly says, "I think it's just all about you having a lot of fun and just following your dreams for what you really want to do." She has had so many experiences in her life, but the highlight of her life is "just getting to do what I love to do. I'm just so lucky to be able to do it."

Currently sporting braces to help secure her pre-teen teeth into perfect placement, nothing can dim the sparkle of this perky little blonde's radiant smile and lust for life. Dakota's younger sister Elle is also on the Hollywood fast track, with a new film due out soon. Together, the Fanning girls have already made an indelible mark on Hollywood. Yet at eleven-years-old and a consummate professional, Dakota is still a kid at heart and at home. She is eager to enjoy life as it happens. And now she is enjoying her career, her doll collection- and her new horse!