Dakota Fanning grows up overnight


14 year-old child actress Dakota Fanning made an appearance at a ball for Lupus LA yesterday and she looked years older than the last time I remember seeing her. She has her braces off and she’s absolutely beautiful. The last event photos I could find of Fanning were from about a year ago and she looked like a little girl at that point.

Fanning has quite a few movies coming up, only one of which is in pre-production. She has Winged Creatures, Push, The Secret Life of Bees, and Coraline due for release and it’s possible she still looks like a little girl in those films since they’ve already been shot. In Coraline, which is in post production and is due out in February of next year, she plays a girl who discovers “an alternate version of her life,” and in The Secret Life of Bees she plays a 14 year-old girl who runs away from home and is befriended by a group of beekeeping women in 1960s South Carolina. That’s due out in October.

I guess that’s what happens when teenagers grow up, but it’s amazing to see the transformation in her. She’s sure to be taking on more teen roles. Fanning seems like a smart girl who has a lot of hobbies. Wikipedia lists her interests as knitting, swimming, piano, violin, ballet, and horseback riding. Hopefully she’ll stay involved with extra curricular activities and won’t let the cesspool of Hollywood suck her in as she gets older.

Dakota Fanning on 5/1/08

Dakota Fanning on 3/31/07

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49 Responses to “Dakota Fanning grows up overnight”

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  1. Jessica says:

    What’s wrong with her gums??? Ouchie!

  2. The Observer says:

    Ouch, poor kid, she looks like Cameron Diaz…

    …and what is with her gums?

    I mean I don’t care, but Hollywood will, no amount of CGI will correct that.

    ____
    Shakira Mebarak owes me money.

  3. AC says:

    yeah she should fix her teeth but wow beautiful.

    Its about time she looked her age. She looked like she was 8 when she was 11… it was a little frightening. Maybe they stopped feeding her the hormones keeping her growth stunted so she could milk her childhood career… (im kidding)

  4. Snowblood says:

    She is really going to be a beautiful adult, wow – what a lovely girl. But what a workload for a kid!! Look at the amount of movies she’s made just this past year as listed above, never mind the fact she’s been working for years prior, since, when, like age five or something? She may have sweet little hobbies now, but wait until she comes into her millions at 18 and discovers a few NEW hobbies – like so many child stars do.

    She doesn’t look like the type to develop a raging coke problem and do 3 rehabs on one year at age 20 or whatever —- BUT — did Lindsay Lohan look like a potential bad girl when she was small, doing Parent Trap etc.? not really

  5. Sasha says:

    She’s so darn cute.

  6. neelyo says:

    The odds are stacked against these child actors. I think if you rob anyone of their childhood like so many of these parents do, it’s bound to catch up sooner or later. Good luck to her, she’s got a mine field ahead.

  7. gg says:

    I think that the side part in her hair makes her look more mature even if her face didn’t grow up on its own. Hair parted down the middle looks good on very few people.

  8. kitty says:

    I think it’s wonderful that she looks so natural. Miley is only a year older then her and is constantly decked out in extensions, makeup and mini-skirts. Dakota actually looks like the pre-teen she actually is. Kudos to her parents for letting her stay a kid.

  9. Cici says:

    to those with the *nice* comments about her mouth – i think dakota looks beautiful, teeth and all. what SHOULD she do? go out and get veneers at her young age, before her mouth is even fully developed? then you would be criticizing that she was this young and already getting “fake.” I salute her fresh and natural look. so what if it’s not model perfection. let the girl mature and grow into her body, for god’s sake.

  10. Shane says:

    In a year they’ll call in Annie for the photo shoot.

  11. Mir says:

    Isn’t she the same age as ali lohan?

  12. Rhonda says:

    She’s a very pretty, talented girl. Hopefully, she’ll stay away from the Hollywood scene. At least she’s not a Disney star.

  13. velvet elvis says:

    She’s so precious. Hopefully she won’t end up on Celebrity Rehab unlike Ali Lohan who’s got a seat saved there already.

  14. xiaoecho says:

    this chick has been an adult since she was six…….creepy

  15. xxxx says:

    doesnt she look like the chick from greek?

  16. AC says:

    i didn’t mean to suggest she should fix her teeth NOW. But they can fix her gums and help with the spacing of her teeth on that one side…. she doesn’t need veneers just some gum adjusting… which they can do. im just saying she probably should get that fixed… i know i’d want to… famous or not. She’s still really pretty…

  17. poop says:

    She still has a very annoying face no matter how much she has grown up.

  18. Lili says:

    She does seem smarter than most other child stars. I remember watching an interview in which she talked about that film where her character is raped, and I was impressed with her maturity. It also seems that her family is normal, or at least her parents aren’t pimping out their daughter and living vicariously through her, like Lindsay Lohan’s parents. Speaking of which, doesn’t Ali Lohan look as old as her mom? It’s weird!

  19. saintdevil says:

    About her teeth:
    She is practically still a child and she’s recently had her braces removed.
    I think there’s a very good chance she won’t need surgery or CGI but just a little time to fix her gums.

  20. fee says:

    Put a picture of Ali Lohan next to one of Dakota and tell people they’re the same age……they’d tell you to fuck off cause thats impossible…..Ali looks 35! Hope this little girl bucks the trend and grows up normal, we can only hope…..and cut the poor kid a break about her gums…..fuck sake, this is how body image disorders start.

  21. Bina says:

    That’s what your gums look like when you get your braces off. They’re pretty sore and chafed from those years of having them on. They get better pretty quickly.

    former braces wearer :mrgreen:

  22. just me says:

    She is a beautiful girl. As for her teeth I think those are her baby teeth back there. It took my son longer to lose his baby teeth then most kids and he had to have braces. Now we have to get braces again because the adult teeth came in in the back and he does not have much room for the new bigger teeth. Cut this girl a break. She is a child who I’m sure knows how to use a computer and might read these comments. Lets not give her self esteem problems people. You guys are tooooo much!

  23. Michelle says:

    So many of you said very rude things about her. She is beautiful and smarter than most all other kids her age. I really like her, and think she is a great actress. Her parents may not be “pimping” her and her sister in the same way as Billy Ray Cyrus and his wife, or Joe Simpson, but both her and her sister were put in show business at a very young age which makes me wonder if they are just better at it.

  24. Michelle says:

    Plus, so many of you would be criticizing her no matter what. She is doing better than all the other child stars. I personally think she is a shining example of a healthy kid that grew up priviledged. I only hope she continues on this path.

  25. Leah says:

    “What’s wrong with her gums??? Ouchie!”

    “yeah she should fix her teeth but wow beautiful.”

    Dakota has had her teeth fixed. In fact, she recently got her braces removed. She used to have an underbite, and her baby teeth had to be pulled out by a dentist because they were unable to fall out on their own. Her teeth had long roots, as they wouldn’t naturally disintegrate. She also had a chain attached to a tooth (which was regularly pulled by her orthodontist) because it was located near her cheek.

    As we now know, Dakota has had a lot of problems with her teeth. Nonetheless, she has never been shy about sharing them with the public.

  26. Cowbell says:

    She’s beautiful.

  27. Larissa says:

    I guess she has got her periods!
    lol
    and she does looks great…her teeth can be fixed anytime, but all the whithening and stuff will take away her main caractherist as an actress and turn her into another fake/plastic Hollywood doll.
    Dakota, keep it real!!!!

  28. SailorAlphaCentauri says:

    It’s nice to see that she actually has gotten pretty. I hate to say it, but I thought she looked a little troll-ish when she was younger, but she’s grown out of it and is going to be a rather striking woman when she grows up. I probably won’t see her movies because I don’t care for her as an actress, but her looks have gotten better.

  29. Lori says:

    Why are all you people focused on her looks? She is an incredibly talented and intelligent young girl. Let’s not try to slut her up by focusing on teeth, for goodness sake.

  30. anikin says:

    I always get creeped out when I see photos of Ali Lohan and Miley Cyrus because they look. . . old. I’m glad Dakota Fanning isn’t teetering on two and a half inch heels with red lipstick. she’s smiling and she has life in her eyes, not that creepily blank coked out look that some young stars have. Hopefully, she wont be licking strawberry popsicles in an FHM photo layout any time soon.

  31. ali says:

    I feel sorry for all of you. Please get a life.

  32. LindsayB says:

    Hey guess what THE OBSERVER I bet your gums suck like hell! Im 12 years old and Dakota Fanning is my Idol because she is a really good actress and is very pretty so you dont have to be all negative about every post you make I have seen quite a few of them and they are like all negative why dont you give people a break??

  33. Natasha says:

    Eh I don’t buy the excuses here about her teeth – they at least need to be whitened..

  34. boccaccio says:

    lol @ natasha and the “excuses”

    God forbid a 14 YEAR-OLD GIRL not rush out and get her teeth whitened and veneered all to hell. In case people have forgotten, she’s still growing up. Let her focus on her career and decide what it is she wants to do with her appearance (if anything). Seeing someone in Hollywood that actually looks their age is so damn refreshing.

  35. Sam says:

    Lili – The Fanning dad works as an electronics salesman, the mom has no job other than being Dakota’s manager, meaning she gets 10% of the top of her daughters earnings. Now do you honestly think they are living off a crappy close to minimum wage job the dad has? The only one supporting this family is Dakota (and Elle will follow suit). she’s the one paying for the house and the nice clothes and everything else. I wouldn’t call that treating your child well and letting them stay children long.

  36. lovely Dakota fan says:

    I think I am in love. This is by far Dakota’s best picture. This girl now looks all grown up and gorgeous.

  37. Isabel says:

    How tall is she now?

  38. izzyme says:

    I can’t believe that people are worried about what her teeth look like, I am more concerned about the fact, if this girl has ever had the time in her life to climb up a tree, or to draw a picture. When you see this little girl at the age of 5 sitting in a studio giving an interview, she wants to be all grown up. Give this girl a brake and let her catch up on things she was clearly missing out on, like having a childhood. We have child actors, who work about the same rate as grown ups do,and this clearly effects their whole life.
    …Drew Barrymore, Lindsey Lohan, the Olsen Twins etc…
    This girl has clearly not had the time to form her personality. I feel sorry for her.

  39. palson says:

    it’s so interesting for a kid to have such hobbies,which also makes dakota more SPECIAL.

  40. Pauliee says:

    Poor Dakota..she has her hands full living amongst all the radical, left wing, immorals out in california. And she’s probably already brainwashed into thinking the democrats know what their talking about. I hope she survives her childhood.

  41. Ellen! Dakota's BIGGEST Fan! says:

    Dakota Fanning!
    14 Years Old And Just Soo AMAZING!
    I’ve NEVER EVER Sceen Anyone As Amazing As Her!!!
    AWW SOOOO Incredabil!
    I Will ALWAYS Respect Dakota And Will Always LOVE Her TALENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Complete And Utter Amazingness!!!!!!!!!!
    I Love You Dakota So So Much!!!!!!!!!!!! 😀

  42. Chthonikzero says:

    Ok, I think she’s hot. In case you didn’t get what I meant.

  43. capri, 15 says:

    dakota is a beautiful young woman and i love that dress.

  44. k says:

    she needs to start wearing a bra

  45. Mr.Poison says:

    shes gonna be one hot sexy chick in future gotta love her

  46. Odyssey says:

    Dakota is very hot wearing pink!

  47. Ariel says:

    I dont think she has to change a thing,she is a beautiful girl. Just because she is a famous actress does not mean she has to be perfect in every way.
    The only thing that im a bit worried about that she should change is her eating, its ok to skinny but not to skinny, i really hope she gains a bit more on her body.
    but otherwise she looks great.

  48. Zoe Greene says:

    So, I hear that Dakota Fanning is dating that that little Uriah Shelton!? How cute!

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