Elle Fanning

Biography: Little Mary Elle Fanning, in all of her five tender years on this planet, has become perhaps the most accomplished preschooler of this generation. Since entering into the loving arms of her parents, Steve and Joy Fanning, on Thursday April 9th 1998 she has brought astonishing talent, winsome charm and a cheeky liveliness to each of her six diverse roles to date, spanning both television and cinema.

When Elle's older sister, Dakota, showed an affinity for the performing arts in 1999, the family moved from their home in Conyers, Georgia, the bright lights of LA to facilitate their eldest daughter's big step into the entertainment industry. Dakota's (and subsequently Elle's) success have meant that the family still reside in California to this day. The girls also share a room with one another. Apparently, Dakota is fastidiously neat - "My room is perfect...everything in its basket." - while Elle's organizational skills are somewhat less developed - "Her side of the room is a mess."

Both girls shared a love of performance from an early age. Dakota has related, to wide press, how she would pretend to give birth to (the rather hefty 'baby' of) Elle. More recently, she has revealed that she still adopts a mothering role with her younger sister. "And she's a pretty nice Mom!" Elle once added happily, in an adorable interview with People magazine.

With such similar talent it seemed only natural that when Dakota made her film debut in the acclaimed I Am Sam at the age of six, in 2001, young Elle would be the natural choice to play the role of 'young' Lucy Diamond Dawson, Dakota's character. At the time, Elle was a tender 2 years, 10 months old. The pint sized blonde's performing career had begun.

In 2002, at age three, Elle again took on a role as the younger version of her sister's character, this time playing 'Allie Keys' in Stephen Spielberg's sci-fi miniseries Taken.

But it was in 2003, at the age of four, that Elle won her first individual role, in the comedy Blockbuster Daddy Day Care. As little Jamie she was hailed as "almost excruciatingly adorable" (News journal Online) by critics, and her talent as an independant actress was finally recognized. Elle revelled in the attention she received - "I love being an actress and I just love working with Eddie Murphy," she said at the press junket for Daddy Day Care. "He's so funny!"

It seems that despite their independant success, there is little sibling jealously between Dakota and Elle. In an interview with People magazine last year, Elle endearingly named her elder sister as her favourite actress.

Now, Elle is currently filming her fourth feature film, called "Because of Winn Dixie". Elle plays the small sister of the leading character. This follows on from her third film, "The Door in the Floor," which wrapped filming in 2003. Elle is apparently on first name basis with one of the leading actresses in Hollywood as a result of this movie - she referred to Kim Basinger, her co-star in this film, as "Kim" to People magazine.

At only five and a half little Elle has a lot of life, love, and wonderful movies in her yet. Watch this space - adorable Elle is one little girl who is going places.… Expand