Elle Fanning covers the latest edition of Porter, net-a-porter.com’s in-house online magazine. She’s currently promoting Netflix’s The Girl From Plainville, which is the true story of the death of Conrad Roy in 2014 and the later conviction of his girlfriend Michelle Carter, who texted encouragement for him to kill himself. She plays Michelle Carter and she really did a full “transformation” to look like this woman. The Girl From Plainville also marks the first big project from Elle’s new production company, so she’s a producer on the series too. Elle chatted about all of that and more with Porter:
Transforming into Michelle Carter: “At first I was like, ‘Is this something I want to do?’ I really had to think on that, because these are real peoples’ lives…. We’re not saying we know exactly what happened.” And it was for that reason she says it didn’t “feel appropriate” to meet Carter.
Her production company, Lewellen Pictures: “For so long I’ve wanted to go behind the scenes. In Hollywood right now, there are so many women – like Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman – who are doing that, and when I’ve talked to [them], they’ve said, ‘Acquire your own material; find what you love and try to make it happen.’ We can break the mold of, ‘Am I going to get picked for this part?’ and tell our own stories.”
The business side has been a learning curve. “I’m a pretty social, confident person in general, but you have to learn to put on a different hat, which took some time,” she says, recalling a recent pitch meeting with executives. “I could feel a little bit of, ‘OK, this person’s so young; why are they telling me..?’ It’s like, ‘Yes, that’s true,’ but then I’m like, ‘You know what? I’ve been working since I was two.’ I’ve started to come into my own a little more and have learned not to apologize for my age.”
Going to high school after being homeschooled: “I remember being like, ‘OK, I have to raise my hand and answer the question.’ I felt like I was in a movie, playing a character. But I’m happy I went to school. I would have been sad if I hadn’t had those milestones of prom and navigating the social terrain of high school.”
Her relationship with her big sister Dakota: Fanning spoke to a psychic recently (“I’ll call them and… it’s like a silly thing, but I use a different name,” she says), who told her that the sisters are like yin and yang because Dakota is from the future and Elle is from the past. “She was like, ‘Your sister is an alien; she’s a little further along than everyone else.’ I’m from the past, which makes sense… I don’t really feel like I fit into this TikTok time, where everything is on display. I love the feeling of mystery.”
Instagram FOMO: “I’ve felt myself going down a rabbit hole, when you’re hate-scrolling and comparing yourself to people on vacation and you’re like, ‘I should be doing more!’”
I love what she says about talking to a psychic and confirming – ?? – that she’s from the past and Dakota is an alien from the future. Elle is very vintage, very throwback. She would be at home in the 1990s, the 1970s, and the 1940s. Which makes her a good actress, honestly, because she’s great and believable in historical roles. She would be great in something like Call the Midwife, you know? Or something about World War II. And I love that she’s started her own production company with her sister. I hope they get some good material.
Cover & IG courtesy of Porter.
The Girl from Plainville is on Hulu not Netflix. It’s so tempting to credit Netflix because it’s almost synonymous with streaming service, but Hulu & chill is gonna be what the kids are saying soon.
I watch it on the W network. Only saw the first episode yet, but it’s a good show.
Yeah I guess Hulu curates more than produces content, but between this and the Elizabeth Holmes series I find myself checking Hulu for updates more often than Netflix.
I wish I liked Netflix, but they don’t ever have anything I want to watch….it’s like they create content for stereotypes…..
As someone mentioned on an earlier thread, Netflix’s catalog has value. The algorithm can be annoying in what it directs you too, but often you’ll be discussing something someone watched years ago, and *boom* Netflix has it (if you know what to search deep into their catalog for). For that reason, I find it hard to cancel. Plus, I’d just have to re-up for the new season of the Crown. But Hulu has been impressing me with its offerings recently. I find it a lot more fun to just check in and see what’s new on Hulu.
I find TikTok super cringey. Those young poeple are going to be so embarrased by their videos when they get older. I guess it’s good so many young people have high self-esteem now a days…or are they masking their low self-esteem with these “look at me” videos? I don’t know.
I feel the same way, I’m young but hate social media and this whole “put your life on display” generation.
I like Elle. I like what she said about needing a different hat for business. Some people think social skills and confidence are all it takes.
Speaking of Elle starring in something WWII-related, I believe Elle and Dakota will be the leads in the film adaption of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale (assuming many Celebitchies read this as it was a bestseller)