Dakota Fanning

Hannah Dakota Fanning (born February 23, 1994), better known simply as Dakota Fanning, is 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 transitioning 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 person to have been nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award. Dakota Fanning was born in Conyers, Georgia, the daughter of Joy (née Arrington), who played tennis professionally, and Steve Fanning, who played minor league baseball and now works as an electronics salesman in Los Angeles. Her maternal grandfather was former American football player, Rick Arrington, and her aunt is former ESPN reporter Jill Arrington. Dakota is the older sister of Elle Fanning, also an actress. Fanning is of half German descent, and her last name is of Irish origin. Fanning and her family are Southern Baptist. She attends Campbell Hall School in North Hollywood, California, and is on the varsity spirit cheerleading squad. Fanning has been accepted early into New York University and will enroll in Fall 2011.