Dakota Fanning has grown up in the spotlight. Now, at 30, she has a unique perspective on how fame has evolved from her younger years to the present day. She’s noticed a positive shift, particularly for women in the public eye, and changes in the social media landscape she’s seemingly grateful not to have to grow up with. In a recent interview with The Cut, The Perfect Couple actress reflected on the changing dynamics of celebrity culture and why she’s grateful to have grown up in a different era of Hollywood.
On the evolution of fame and and the pressures of growing up in the spotlight…
“When people started to know who I was, it was before social media,” she reflected in conversation with the outlet. “I almost feel old-school with the way that I think about my particular job because if I started now and the expectation was to have an Instagram right away, it would just be a whole different experience. Whereas I think, because I’ve been recognizable for a longer time, I can kind of create my own version of that. I wasn’t a woman yet; I was a kid.
Now, being a woman, there are more conversations about equality and just basic treatment,” she continued. “If you look back to the early 2000s, if you pick up an US Weekly from then, it’s crazy the way it was totally normal then to discuss someone’s cellulite. It was outrageous then, obviously, but now it’s just unacceptable, so I’m happy that doesn’t happen as much anymore. I mean, there are still pressures, different pressures, but I think there’s more freedom to just be a f–king person.”
