From auditions to industry culture, Dakota Fanning’s sister reveals the ugly truth behind Hollywood’s treatment of young actors.
Hollywood has always had a flashy exterior, but there is a dark truth behind the red carpets and glitz. Elle Fanning, Dakota Fanning’s younger sister and an actor, recently told a story from the beginning of her career that shows how bad the system can be.
Elle tried out for a father-daughter road trip comedy when she was only 16 years old, but the idea never came together. But the real story isn’t about the movie not going forward; it’s about what happened at the auditions. Elle says that a person involved in casting, who they say was a professional adult, said something that was not only rude but also very upsetting.
This person made her feel like a sexual object by bringing up her age in a way that sexualized a child instead of giving her comments on her acting or on-screen chemistry. Usually, the reps and managers on her team would block out comments like that. But this time, it got through, leaving a mark on her young mind that will last.
As an adult, Elle, who is now in her mid-20s, can laugh about calling the casting director a “disgusting pig”. Even though she can laugh, the horrible things that are happening don’t go away.
It would be awful if, as a teenager, you tried to get into acting but were turned down because of your sexuality instead of your ability or skill. This is not a one-off event; it’s a sign of a bigger problem in Hollywood. Other artists who grew up in the business have had similar experiences to Elle’s.
Natalie Portman has said that the media sexualized her when she was 8 or 9 years old after Léon: The Professional. When Kirsten Dunst was a child, she was shooting Interview with the Vampire and got the same kind of rude comments.
More recently, Millie Bobby Brown spoke out against how the press and public looked at her body when she was younger. These stories aren’t just about one “bad apple” in casting; they’re signs of a deeply rooted society that values sexualization over talent. The way power works in Hollywood often leaves young players open to abuse.
Careers can be made or broken by producers, directors, and other decision-makers. Unfortunately, too often, their decisions are based on unfair and exploitative criteria instead of artistic merit. Elle’s story shows how the industry works, which is a system that can destroy confidence, ruin jobs, and make harassment seem normal from a young age.
