Dakota Fanning looks back on her childhood in Hollywood as a child actor, including the bizarre aspects.
The perfect couple The actress, who made her television debut in 2000 at the age of six, recently opened up The cut for a cover story that he encountered strange interactions during interviews when he was younger.
“In interviews at a young age, I remember reporters asking me, 'How do you avoid becoming a tabloid girl?' People would ask extremely inappropriate questions,” he said. “As a child I was in an interview and someone asked me, 'How can you have friends?' It's as if Huh?”
Fanning added that he also has “a lot of compassion for the people who have become role models” because of Hollywood's previous youth tabloid phenomenon.
“If society and the media hadn't done their part, who knows?” Fanning continued, seemingly referencing how the perspective of children working in the industry has changed after former child stars' difficult childhoods. “I don't think it's necessarily one hundred percent connected to being in this business; there are other factors too. I just didn't fall for it and I don't know the exact reasons, except that my family is made up of very kind, gentle and protective people.
THE Dusk The alum also credits her mother, Hannah Joy Arrington, for teaching her “how to treat other people and also how to treat myself.”
“He was there every second,” Fanning recalled. “I have always been treated with respect. It was never, “Bring the kid in!” Take her out!” I didn't work with people who treated me that way: I was respected as an actor and I was as equal as one can be for that age. Looking back on my life, my career is a very present part, but I also think about childhood memories. My life doesn't seem disproportionate to work and I'm so grateful for that. I'm there doing work that matters.
As for the “fallen child actor” idea, Fanning later noted that he “definitely felt this kind of vibe from people who almost wanted me to fail or something. It makes you feel a little watched. I'm just living my life here.”
After making his television debut on ER in 2000, Fanning rose to fame the following year for her role as Lucy Diamond Dawson in the 2001 film I'm Samalong with her sister Elle Fanning. Since then he has starred in dozens of film and television projects.