Yes, Elle Fanning is related to Dakota Fanning. They are sisters.
Elle is the younger sister. Dakota is the older sister, born four years before Elle.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(569x289:571x291)/elle-dakota-fanning-1-baabe637d86448e99f020d7a2f824a01.jpg)
Credit: people.com
Who Are the Fanning Sisters?
Dakota Fanning was born Hannah Dakota Fanning on February 23, 1994, in Conyers, Georgia.
Elle Fanning was born Mary Elle Fanning on April 9, 1998, in Conyers, Georgia.
Both use their middle names. Dakota goes by Dakota, and Elle goes by Elle. That family naming pattern also applies to their mother, who goes by her middle name, Joy.
Do Elle and Dakota Fanning Have the Same Parents?
Yes. They are full sisters with the same parents.
Their mother is Heather Joy (née Arrington), who played tennis professionally. Their father is Steven J. Fanning, who played minor league baseball and later worked in electronics sales in Los Angeles.
Elle is Dakota’s only sibling. Dakota has no other brother or sister.
The Family at a Glance
| Sister | Full name | Born | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota Fanning | Hannah Dakota Fanning | February 23, 1994 | Conyers, Georgia |
| Elle Fanning | Mary Elle Fanning | April 9, 1998 | Conyers, Georgia |
- Parents: Heather Joy (née Arrington) and Steven J. Fanning
- Relationship: Full sisters
- Age gap: Four years, with Dakota the elder sister
Did Elle and Dakota Fanning Act Together as Children?
They appeared in the same projects as children, but they did not act in scenes together. In their early shared credits, they played the same character at different ages.
I Am Sam (2001)
Dakota starred as Lucy Diamond Dawson, the daughter of Sam Dawson, played by Sean Penn. Elle played Lucy at age 2.
This was Elle’s film debut. It was also Dakota’s breakout role.
Taken (2002)
The sisters again played the same character at different ages in the science-fiction miniseries Taken. Elle played the younger version of Dakota’s character.
My Neighbor Totoro (English dub)
In the English dub of My Neighbor Totoro, Dakota voiced Satsuki and Elle voiced Mei. Here they voiced sisters, rather than the same character at different ages.
What Have They Done Since?
Both sisters built separate adult careers after starting as child actors.
Dakota’s later credits include War of the Worlds (2005), Charlotte’s Web (2006), The Twilight Saga (2009–2012), where she played Jane, and The Equalizer 3 (2023).
Elle’s later credits include Maleficent (2014), where she played Princess Aurora, and The Great (2020–2023), where she played Catherine.
The Nightingale: Their First Film Together
The sisters are set to star together in The Nightingale, based on Kristin Hannah’s novel. They play sisters in the story, set in France during World War II.
The sisters have said this will be the first time they act on screen together. They previously played the same character at different ages, but never spoke to each other in front of a camera.
They also run a production company together, Lewellen Pictures, which they launched in 2021.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elle Fanning Dakota Fanning’s sister?
Yes. Elle is Dakota’s younger sister.
Who is older, Dakota or Elle Fanning?
Dakota is older. She was born in 1994, and Elle was born in 1998.
Are Dakota and Elle Fanning twins?
No. They were born four years apart.
Did Elle and Dakota Fanning both appear in Twilight?
No. Dakota played Jane in The Twilight Saga. Elle did not appear in Twilight.
Do Dakota and Elle Fanning have other siblings?
No. They are each other’s only sibling.
