Dakota Fanning Recalls Being Asked “Super-Inappropriate Questions” as a Child Star

Dakota Fanning is looking back at growing up in Hollywood as a child actor, including the bizarre aspects.

The Perfect Couple actress, who made her television acting debut in 2000 at six years old, recently told The Cut for a cover story that she encountered strange interactions during interviews when she was younger.

“In interviews at a young age, I remember journalists asking me, ‘How are you avoiding becoming a tabloid girl?’ People would ask super-inappropriate questions,” she said. “I was in an interview as a child and somebody asked, ‘How could you possibly have any friends?’ It’s like, Huh?”

Fanning added she also “a lot of compassion for people who have been made into examples” due to the previous young-Hollywood tabloid phenomenon.

“If society and the media hadn’t played their part, who knows?” Fanning continued, seemingly referencing how the perspective of children working in the industry has changed following former child stars’ difficult childhoods. “I don’t think that it’s necessarily connected a hundred percent to being in this business; there are other factors, too. I just didn’t fall into it, and I don’t know the exact reasons except that my family is comprised of very nice, kind, protective people.”

The Twilight alum also credits her mother, Hannah Joy Arrington, for teaching her “how to treat other people and also how to treat myself.”

“She was there every second,” Fanning recalled. “I was always treated with respect. It was never, ‘Bring the kid in! Get her out!’ I wasn’t working with people who treated me that way — I was being respected as an actor and as equal as you can be for that age. Looking back on my life, my career is such a present part of it, but I really think about the childhood memories, too. My life doesn’t feel disproportionate with work, and I’m so grateful for that. I’m there doing work that matters.”

As for the idea of the “fallen child actor,” Fanning later noted that she’s “definitely felt this kind of vibe from people almost wanting me to fail or something. It makes you feel a little bit guarded. I’m just living my life over here.”

After making her TV debut on ER in 2000, Fanning rose to fame the following year for her role as Lucy Diamond Dawson in the 2001 movie I Am Sam, along with her sister Elle Fanning. She has since starred in dozens of film and TV projects.