Okay, so I’ve been meaning to do a deep dive on the Fanning sisters, Dakota and Elle, for a while now. They’re both such fascinating actresses, and I wanted to really map out their careers and see how they’ve evolved.
First, I started by just listing out all the movies and TV shows I could remember them being in. Honestly, it was a lot more than I initially thought! I mean, Dakota was HUGE as a kid – “I Am Sam,” “War of the Worlds,” “Charlotte’s Web”… the list goes on.
Then I moved on to Elle. She started a bit later, but she’s quickly become just as prolific. “Super 8,” “Maleficent,” “The Neon Demon”… totally different vibes from her sister, but equally captivating.
My Research Process
- Gathered a list of their movies and series. I used this online movie database; it’s pretty reliable.
- Watched some of their older interviews on YouTube. You know, to get a sense of their personalities and how they talked about their work back then. It’s wild to see how much they’ve changed!
- Read through some recent articles and reviews. Focused on stuff from the past few years, especially for Elle, since she’s been doing a lot of indie films lately.
- made a simple timeline.
After getting all the basic info down, I started watching some of their lesser-known stuff. Like, did you know Dakota was in an episode of “Friends”? Or that Elle did a bunch of short films before she really hit it big? It’s cool to see their early work and how they’ve honed their craft.
The most interesting part, though, was comparing their career trajectories. Dakota was the child star, always playing these super precocious, emotionally intense roles. Elle kind of eased into things, and she’s taken on some really daring and unconventional parts.
I ended up creating this giant spreadsheet, which I’m, It’s color-coded and everything! I tracked their roles, the genres, the directors they’ve worked with… it’s a bit nerdy, I know, but it really helps me visualize their careers.
I’m still not done, though, I might have watched some of their movies a few times. I really want to get deeper, I’m looking at their acting styles, choices, and influence on the industry.
