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Dakota Fanning recalled the memorable way that her sister, Elle Fanning, intervened when a man was being rude to her.
In a recent interview with the U.K. Times, Dakota, 31, was asked about an anecdote that Elle, 27, previously shared.
During the Fanning sisters’ joint interview with Vanity Fair in September, Elle explained that she was protective of her older sister and would take action when necessary to defend Dakota.
“I actually screamed at someone for her,” Elle said. “I didn’t throw a drink, but I did knock it over and accidentally spilled on the guy.”
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Elle Fanning previously spoke about defending her big sister, Dakota Fanning. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Netflix)
However, the “Perfect Couple” star elaborated further on the encounter while speaking with the Times.
“It was even worse,” Dakota told the Times. “She accidentally spat her drink out on the man.”
The sisters made their film debut in the 2001 Sean Penn drama, “I Am Sam,” in which Dakota, who was 7 at the time, starred as Lucy, while Elle played a younger version of the character.
Though Dakota and Elle both went on to enjoy successful Hollywood careers, they have previously emphasized that they prioritize family above everything.
While speaking with Vanity Fair, Dakota opened up about her close bond with her younger sister and explained there was “zero” competition between them.
Elle Fanning and Dakota Fanning at the CHANEL and Charles Finch Pre-Oscar Awards Dinner held at The Polo Lounge on March 1, 2025, in Beverly Hills, California (Gilbert Flores)
“We obviously share a lot, but we’re very different,” Dakota said. “So I don’t even see something that’s right for her as being right for me. I don’t feel competitive. But I know that people probably don’t believe that.”
“When we were younger, we wanted to make sure that people saw us differently, and we wanted to give each other space to carve our own path,” Elle noted. “But as adults, it’s been very fulfilling to merge.”
Elle shared that she now sees her status as Dakota’s little sister as something to be proud of.
“I just want to do everything that she does,” Elle said. “I’m a nepo sister. Of course I got opportunities because people are like, ‘Oh, it’s Dakota Fanning’s sister. We’ll see her audition.’”
Dakota’s attitude toward her younger sibling has evolved through the years and “changed as I’ve gotten older,” but the award-winning actress stands by a family-first mantra.
Dakota and Elle Fanning both made their film debut in the 2001 Sean Penn movie, “I Am Sam.” (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
“I just want her to have everything that she wants,” Dakota said. “What’s mine is hers, and I feel the same thing back from her. We have that mentality in our family. When something good happens, it’s shared by all of us, because we’ve all helped each other get to where we are.”
Dakota and Elle, who co-founded their production company Lewellen Pictures in 2021, will soon reunite on screen for the first time since “I Am Sam.” The two are co-producing and starring as sisters in the upcoming movie “The Nightingale,” based on Kristin Hannah’s 2015 best-selling historical novel of the same name.
During her interview with the Times, Dakota reflected on navigating the dating world as a single woman in Los Angeles.
The “Man on Fire” actress recounted how Elle, who is currently in a relationship with Rolling Stone magazine CEO Gus Wenner, once consulted a psychic who offered an unexpected prediction about Dakota’s future love prospects.
“My sister spoke to a psychic who said, ‘Your sister is not going to meet the person she is going to marry until she’s 32.’ She told me that a few years ago and I was, like, 32? I don’t have time for that,” Dakota joked.
Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning attend the UTA 82nd Annual Golden Globes Afterparty at Marea on January 5, 2025, in Beverly Hills, California. (Eric Charbonneau)
The actress told the outlet that she is on Raya, the exclusive dating app that includes many celebrities among its users. However, Dakota explained that she was reluctant to join Raya and has considered deleting the app.
She went on to vent her frustration over the dating profiles she had been seeing.
“Oh my God, ask your single girlfriends! Every man is like, ‘Must love mountain biking, and want to go on a hike, and want to be really adventurous and outdoorsy, must love dogs and want to go to the summit of Everest,'” she said. “I’m like, no, I don’t want to do any of that and if I do I’ll do it when I want to.”
“It’s every guy,” she added. “Then it’s a shirtless picture of them on a mountain. You’re like, dude, save it please.”
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Dakota Fanning promoted her new movie, “The Watched,” in a beige Oscar de la Renta dress with tulip designs on the bottom. (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Warner Bros)
Dakota admitted that she had been set up on blind dates by friends, but many of the encounters proved disappointing.
“You’re like, is this what you think of me? Then you question the friendship with that person,” she said.
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Though she has found dating to be tough, Dakota shared that she is determined to fulfill her dream of having a family.
“Being a mother is the pinnacle to me. It’s the thing I can’t wait for most in my life,” she said. “I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want kids. For whatever reason it is something in me.”
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Dakota explained that she doesn’t plan to settle when it comes to finding her life partner.
“I know what I have to give and I know what I deserve in return,” she said. “I’m super happy to wait for that.”