{"id":181937,"date":"2025-12-13T03:27:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-13T03:27:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/181937\/"},"modified":"2025-12-13T03:27:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-13T03:27:07","slug":"elle-fanning-on-sentimental-value-and-making-nightingale-with-dakota","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/181937\/","title":{"rendered":"Elle Fanning on Sentimental Value and Making ‘Nightingale’ With Dakota"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tElle Fanning<\/a>\u2018s first arrest came at a Sabrina Carpenter concert. Just an hour before leaving for the show, she received a text: \u201cGetting arrested tonight. Dress accordingly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe mock arrest, captured on the big screen for all concertgoers to see, was worth it.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cAt least it was a joint arrest,\u201d Fanning laughs, referring to sharing the experience with her sister Dakota. \u201cIf it\u2019s going to happen, might as well happen together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tIt\u2019s fitting that Fanning approaches even staged arrests with grace and humor, because in Joachim Trier\u2019s \u201cSentimental Value<\/a>,\u201d she plays Rachel Kemp, a Hollywood actress who must learn the hardest lesson of all: how to walk away from something she desperately wants.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe role came as a surprise. \u201cI was a big fan, obviously, of \u2018The Worst Person in the World,\u2019 like everyone,\u201d Fanning says. \u201cYou think of directors, and you think, \u2018Yeah, Joachim, he\u2019s on my bucket list,\u2019 but I didn\u2019t know if there would ever necessarily be a part for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tWhen the script arrived while she was in New York preparing to shoot \u201cPredator: Badlands\u201d in New Zealand, her heart started racing. \u201cI didn\u2019t even necessarily care what the part was. After reading the script, I was in tears. And then I really just related to Rachel Kemp so much. I could just see how I wanted to play her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat followed was a logistical ballet worthy of Rachel herself: rehearsals in Oslo, shooting an action franchise in New Zealand, then flying directly to France to film beach scenes with Stellan Skarsg\u00e5rd at the Deauville Film Festival \u2014 all while the festival was happening. Two studios worked together to make it possible, a rare feat in Hollywood, Fanning notes.<\/p>\n

\n\tRachel Kemp is an actress in crisis, miscast in a prestigious European film but desperate to prove herself. She\u2019s goal-oriented, slightly thirsty, and lost.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI think you\u2019re right,\u201d Fanning says when asked about drawing from the experiences of actors she\u2019s worked with. \u201cThere are definitely feelings that I can relate to, or maybe my younger self has felt. We find her at a place when she\u2019s lost, and a little depressed herself. I don\u2019t think she feels like she has much agency over her career and choices. She feels that she has so much to give, but you have to be given the opportunities or placed in those roles to show that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe key, Fanning explains, was balancing Rachel\u2019s Hollywood star quality with her vulnerability. \u201cI was aware that audiences have to believe that she is a big star. So there has to be a bit of that air.\u201d But Rachel is also learning something crucial that she points to: \u201cShe\u2019s learning how to say no for the first time and think to be confident in being like, as much as she wants something, she\u2019s walking away for reasons that aren\u2019t like, the director is a monster, or it didn\u2019t pay enough money. She knows it\u2019s a great opportunity, but she knows that it\u2019s just not right. And that can be very hard for actors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe role comes at a pivotal moment in Fanning\u2019s career. Having acted since age two \u2014 starting with playing young Dakota in \u201cI Am Sam\u201d \u2014 she\u2019s navigated the treacherous transition from child star to adult actress with remarkable grace. Unlike many young actors who struggle to shed their childhood image, Fanning credits shows like Hulu\u2019s period comedy \u201cThe Great\u201d with helping audiences see her evolution in real time. \u201cI felt myself growing in my power doing that show,\u201d she reflects.<\/p>\n

\n\tNext on the docket is a long-gestating project. After years of delays, she\u2019s finally preparing to shoot \u201cThe Nightingale\u201d with Dakota, their first narrative film together through their production company. Originally scheduled to shoot in March 2020, the pandemic derailed those plans. \u201cWe were about to get on a plane to go to Budapest, right before the lockdown,\u201d Fanning recalls. But she sees the silver lining: \u201cEverything happens for a reason, and it\u2019s even better now. We get to produce it now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAs for those Oscar dreams, Fanning keeps it all in perspective. \u201cI have been acting since I was two years old, so I have felt like I\u2019ve had a lot of firsts, but I also know that I\u2019m still young. It would be a very special thing. Of course, it\u2019s the pinnacle of that, but you have to keep in perspective what matters in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tFor now, she\u2019s savoring the response to \u201cSentimental Value\u201d and the character who taught her \u2014 and Rachel \u2014 that sometimes the bravest thing an actress can do is walk away.<\/p>\n

\n\tOn this episode of the\u00a0Variety\u00a0Awards Circuit Podcast<\/a>, Fanning discusses working on the Norwegian drama, transitioning from a child actor to one of the most exciting young adult performers, and finally getting to produce her first big feature with her sister Dakota. <\/p>\n

\n\tAlso on this episode, Amanda Seyfried, the star of the musical drama \u201cThe Testament of Ann Lee\u201d who discusses dancing, singing and if we are getting \u201cMamma Mia 3.\u201d Listen below!<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMubi<\/p>\n

\n\tRead excerpts from her interview below, which has been edited and condensed for clarity.<\/p>\n

\t\tHow did you get involved with Joachim Trier and \u201cSentimental Value\u201d?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI was a big fan of \u201cThe Worst Person in the World,\u201d like everyone. You think of directors and you\u2019re like, \u201cYeah, Joachim, he\u2019s on my bucket list,\u201d but I didn\u2019t know if there would ever be a part for me. It all happened pretty quickly. I had finished \u201cA Complete Unknown\u201d and was about to go to New Zealand to film \u201cPredator: Badlands,\u201d and then I got a call saying Joachim was thinking of me. My heart just started racing. I didn\u2019t even necessarily care what the part was. I wanted to work with him. After reading the script, I was in tears. I related to Rachel Kemp so much. We got on a long Zoom call, and we both had the same ideas about her. From that Zoom he said, \u201cOkay, let\u2019s do this.\u201d But he also said, \u201cI do like doing rehearsals, so you need to come to Oslo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\tThat must have been complicated with your \u201cPredator\u201d schedule.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThere was some scheduling stuff between \u201cPredator\u201d and \u201cSentimental Value.\u201d I wanted to do both, which turned out to be kind of meta for the Rachel character. Two studios worked together to make it happen, which I\u2019m so grateful for. Joachim finagled a couple of things too\u2014he wanted to film the beach scenes in Deauville while the festival was happening. So I went to Oslo before New Zealand, we rehearsed for a week, and then I wrapped \u201cPredator,\u201d flew to Paris the next day, drove to Deauville and was on the beach with Stellan the next morning.<\/p>\n

\t\tWhat drew you to Rachel Kemp as a character?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThere are definitely feelings I can relate to, or that my younger self has felt. We find her when she\u2019s lost and a little depressed. She doesn\u2019t feel she has much agency over her career, and she knows she has so much to give. Every actor wants the meaty role and a director who sees you and digs things out of you. Joachim is an expert at connecting with his actors and creating a safe space. I liked that she isn\u2019t the clich\u00e9 Hollywood star, but you still need a little of that air so audiences believe she\u2019s famous. She\u2019s also desperate and confused. She hits a real high during the monologue rehearsal\u2014I\u2019ve had that feeling on set\u2014but it\u2019s not captured on screen, which becomes a huge learning experience for her.<\/p>\n

\t\tRachel eventually walks away from something she really wants. Have you ever had to do that?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI\u2019m a very instinctual person when I choose projects, and normally the first gut reaction is the one. There have been times where I\u2019ve tried to fit a square peg in a round hole, but your initial reaction is usually right. I\u2019ve never walked away from something as far down the line as she does, but the feeling is universal. I also love how Joachim wrote that she hits that high and then is lost again, and Gustav isn\u2019t giving her the answers. Rachel\u2019s the one who realizes it\u2019s not about his mother\u2014it\u2019s about his daughter. I was so happy I got to have that scene with Renate.<\/p>\n

\t\tYou\u2019ve been acting since you were two. How did you navigate the transition from child actor to adult roles?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tPeople talk a lot about that transition period. I feel lucky because it happened organically for me. \u201cSuper Eight\u201d was a big role for me at 12\u2014it was the first time people recognized me for me and not as my sister. \u201cSomewhere\u201d was so important because it wasn\u2019t a kid\u2019s film. Then \u201cThe Neon Demon\u201d came along when I was 16. It was my taste, and I really pick the directors. Staying true to that made the transition feel effortless. \u201cThe Great\u201d was a big turning point too, because you watch that character grow from a girl into the Empress of Russia. I felt myself growing in my power doing that show. And comedy is harder than drama\u2014it taught me a lot.<\/p>\n

\t\tYou mentioned \u201cA Complete Unknown\u201d earlier. That role felt like a breakthrough.\t<\/p>\n

\n\tIt was such a tricky role because it was the least \u201cfamous\u201d role in the movie. It\u2019s easy to go into a biopic knowing someone\u2019s voice or mythology. But Sylvie was like, \u201cWho\u2019s Sylvie?\u201d It was the first time I saw myself doing the work for the audience to understand someone we don\u2019t know. I wanted to make it as raw as possible.<\/p>\n

\t\tYou and Dakota are finally making \u201cThe Nightingale.\u201d What has that process been like?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tWe were about to get on a plane to Budapest right before the lockdown in March 2020. Crew was already there. But in hindsight, everything happens for a reason. It\u2019s even better now, and we get to produce it. It being a sister story\u2014and us being sisters\u2014is going to add a lot. We\u2019re going in spring. I don\u2019t fear it. I like fear. If you\u2019re not getting nervous, that\u2019s a problem. The book is beloved, and we want to stay true to it. We just have to do it.<\/p>\n

\t\tHow do you and Dakota approach your careers differently?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tWe kept things separate growing up so we could find our own paths. Now we\u2019re doing things together and have a production company. People who\u2019ve worked with both of us say we work very differently. We\u2019ve never run lines together or gotten involved in each other\u2019s choices. Sometimes I\u2019ll ask her, \u201cShould I do this?\u201d and she\u2019ll ask me too, but we never talk about process. It\u2019s going to have to merge soon\u2014we\u2019ll have to read lines together.<\/p>\n

\t\tWhat\u2019s the best directorial note you\u2019ve received?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tPeople say this all the time, but it\u2019s true: I like simple notes. \u201cFaster, angrier, slower.\u201d Not over-analyzing or manipulating. I shut down with that. The best directors give you space but make you feel incredibly seen. Joachim is like that\u2014he\u2019s right next to the camera watching in real time. They\u2019re not micromanaging. They want to be surprised, and I love surprising a director. Nicole Kidman once said, \u201cDon\u2019t ever cut a take.\u201d If you think you messed up, just roll with it. The magic happens in the imperfections. I used to be a perfectionist about that, but I\u2019ve tried to take her advice. It\u2019s the director\u2019s job to cut.<\/p>\n

\t\tHow would it feel to get an Oscar nomination after acting for so long?\t<\/p>\n

\n\tI would be really excited, and it would be very moving for me and my family. I\u2019ve been acting since I was two, and there are still firsts. I had never been to the Oscars until last year, when I got to present. Being on that stage was incredible. You feel the Hollywood history and magic of it. I love old movies and old Hollywood stars. It\u2019s the pinnacle. But you have to keep perspective about what matters\u2014the experiences, the steppingstones. What will be, will be. Whatever happens, happens.<\/p>\n

\n\tVariety\u2019s \u201cAwards Circuit\u201d podcast, hosted by Clayton Davis, Jazz Tangcay, Emily Longeretta, Jenelle Riley and Michael Schneider, who also produces, is your one-stop source for lively conversations about the best in film and television. Each episode, \u201cAwards Circuit\u201d features interviews with top film and TV talent and creatives, discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines, and much more. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or anywhere you download podcasts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Elle Fanning\u2018s first arrest came at a Sabrina Carpenter concert. Just an hour before leaving for the show,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":181938,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[89553,458,19514,146,85,46,39750],"class_list":["post-181937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-celebrities","tag-awards-circuit-podcast","tag-celebrities","tag-elle-fanning","tag-entertainment","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-sentimental-value"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=181937"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181937\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/181938"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=181937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=181937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=181937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}