Dakota Fanning is all grown up on V magazine’s Size Issue cover

Dakota Fanning and Gabourey Sidibe, star of Precious, share the honor of covering V’s February 2010 issue, which, notably, is their “size issue.”



Dakota, who claims she’s happy to finally fit into a size zero so she can wear sample sizes, is crowned “little lady”, while Gaby’s cover reads, “big love.” Hmm..

Here’s a sneak peek at Dakota Fanning in the new issue of V Magazine.

Below are some highlights from her interview with the fashion mag.

On wearing a size zero: “Now that I’m getting older, I’m finally getting to the point where I can fit into those things.”

On her ’sexy, wild-child’ role in The Runaways: “I really enjoyed doing that subject matter for the first time in a biopic, because it really happened, it’s not just a made-up story about a 15-year-old running wild. It’s a true story of her evolution from good Valley Girl to bad rock ‘n roll princess:.

On her kiss with co-star Kristen Stewart: “It’s passionate, they were just as close as two could get.”

On drugs, mainly the cocaine, onset: “It’s actually crushed B vitamins. Kristen and I were, like, our hair is gonna grow a lot from these.”
Dakota’s cover of V Magazine hits stands on January 14.

Dakota Fanning Raps About Rape

Dakota Fanning has made a career out of playing wise-beyond-their years characters. It's not surprising that she's taking the controversy over her recent film Hounddog in stride.

The film raised eyebrows when it was reported that Fanning, 12 at the time, filmed a rape scene for the Deborah Kampmeier-directed flick, without the use of a body double. Activists even launched a petition to have Fanning's mother, Joy, brought up on child-pornography charges.

But Fanning, now 14, tells British newspaper the Telegraph that the wailing and gnashing of teeth were unwarranted.

"It's a movie and it's called acting," Fanning counters. "What drew me to it was that my character shows people that you can overcome adversity in life and it doesn't define you...just because something terrible happened to [Fanning's character] doesn't mean that she can't have a great life. I wanted to do the film because I thought it might help one person that has happened to and help them overcome adversity in their lives."

In the film, Fanning plays Lewellen, a 14-year-old girl who is raped but finds solace and strength in the music of Elvis Presley.

The brouhaha was hyped out of proportion upon the film's September release. Back then, a certain blogger reported that the movie had been yanked from more than 5,000 AMC theaters—a claim that proved to be an extreme mathematical improbability.

"Secret Life of Bees" explores the power of love

The Secret Life of Bees may have an explanation for the mysterious decline in the bee population: Bees just aren't getting enough love these days.

They're smothered with it in the big-screen adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's best-selling novel. Bees are like family to these characters. However, the film is set in 1964, decades before bees started disappearing, so love may not be enough to repopulate their world.

It certainly is a life force for Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning), who's dying from a lack of it in her small Southern town. As she turns 14 in July 1964, she's haunted by memories of her mother's tragic death 10 years earlier and plagued by questions her cold, menacing peach-grower father, T. Ray (Paul Bettany), won't answer.

After racist whites beat up Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson), the Owens' black housekeeper, Lily sneaks Rosaleen out of a hospital room under the nose of a deputy. Lily knows her mother had some connection to Tiburon, S.C., so they head there and find refuge with the Boatwright sisters, August (Queen Latifah), June (Alicia Keys) and May (Sophie Okonedo).

The sisters have a gracious home and thriving honey business; cellist June teaches music at a school. August makes Lily her bee apprentice and has Rosaleen help May in the kitchen. The newcomers begin to feel comfortable and safe, but Lily still won't reveal the real reason she left home.

The plot doesn't so much twist as undulate; there are no huge surprises. That's not what "The Secret Life of Bees" is about. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood, who wrote the screenplay, has crafted an insightful, warm human story that incorporates a sensitive girl's coming of age, the complex dynamics of family, the egregiousness of racism, the efficacy of the civil-rights movement, the uplift of religion and the power of love.

All the actors are on target, but Fanning is superb as the teen tied in knots of guilt, and versatile Okonedo ("Hotel Rwanda") gives an inspiring performance.

Latifah, Hudson and Keys all have segued into acting from music, and their natural, honest performances prove this side of their talent. The director doesn't go out of her way to remind us where the three came from, but at one point they're standing side by side and it hits you: Latifah. Hudson. Keys. It's a summit of superstars.

While the film is female-centric (Hilarie Burton plays Lily's mom in flashbacks), the men shine, too. Bettany fights the impulse to explode as he makes T. Ray something besides a monster. Tristan Wilds is winning as Lily's new friend, Zach, and Nate Parker commands respect as June's beau, Neil.

The Secret Life of Bees is a reminder that humans have a long way to go, but they'll get there faster if they work together. Kind of like those buzzing insects.

25 hottest Hollywood young stars

What’s the difference between such stars as Daniel Radcliffe, Megan Fox and Keira Knightley? Until recently they were united by nothing, except cinema, but now all of them entered a general rating - 25 hottest Hollywood stars aged till 25 years.

Company “AOL” is a rating’s composer. «There are many stars with a world name, which come back to screens from time to time. But we are really pleased that there are many improbably talented ascending actors and actresses now», - one of the tops list’s composers admitted.

22-year-old Megan Fox appeared on the first place of a rating. She already had time to subdue tops of many ratings of the most attractive and sexual due to her beauty. Megan acted in several comedies, but a film «Transformers 2» brought her a real success.

20-year-old Michael Sera occupied the second line. In his filmography there are already more than 30 pictures. One of films with his participation - Juno (2007) - was even nominated on Oscar.

The three of leaders was closed by a scandalous lover of a secular society, 18-year-old Emma Watson. A role of Hermione in a series of films about Harry Potter brought her real fame. By the way, Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry, also entered to this list, having occupied the eighth line.

One star of Russian origin is also in a rating - Anton Elchin. He was born in Leningrad in a family of figure skaters. Already at the age of one and a half years parents took him to USA, where Anton lives till now.

Elchin started to act in films and serials since 11 years. Last picture with his participation - «Terminator 4: the Future begins».

Top-25 hottest Hollywood young stars:

1. Megan Fox, 22 years

2. Michael Sera, 20 years

3. Emma Watson, 18 years

4. Dakota Fanning, 14 years

5. Amanda Seyfried, 23 years

6. Shia LaBeouf, 22 years

7. Keira Knightley, 23 years

8. Daniel Radcliffe, 19 years

9. Kristen Stewart, 18 years

10. Ellen Page, 21 year

11. Saoirse Ronan, 14 years

12. Anton Elchin, 19 years

13. Brandon T. Jackson, 24 years

14. Emma Stone, 19 years

15. Zac Efron, 20 years

16. Olivia Thirlby, 21 year

17. Christopher Mintz-Plass, 19 years

18. Blake Lively, 21 year

19. Josh Peck, 22 years

20. Kat Dennings, 22 years

21. Keke Palmer, 15 years

22. Miley Cyrus, 15 years

23. Robert Pattinson, 22 years

24. Gemma Arterton, 22 years

25. Scarlett Johansson, 23 years