Elle Fanning Is Moving Up In The Acting World

When I was growing up, Dakota Fanning was the up-and-coming actress in the family, but it wasn't long before her younger sister Elle got in the game, as well — and thank goodness for that! Elle is only 17 years old, but she already has over 50 acting credits to her name, which is majorly impressive, to say the least. Now, it's been confirmed that her film 3 Generations , in which Fanning plays a transgender male teen, has been scooped up by The Weinstein Company after screening at Cannes. Such an important role may be a tall order, but it's certainly one Elle has been working up to for years and is totally game to take on. I mean, have you seen her back catalog?!

What's so refreshing about Elle is her choice of roles. While it's easy to get pigeon-holed into one particular genre or one type of character, she's managed to escape that fate and star in projects that are unique, exciting and all very, very different from one another. I'm excited to see where the future will take her, but I'm also happy to relive some of her best on-film moments by re-watching her filmography so far.

Here are seven of Elle's best film roles that proves she's got the chop for the meatier parts she seems to be taking on these days.

Somewhere (2010)

This movie is the one that made me an Elle Fanning fan, hands down — and she was only 12 years old when it came out. Somewhere follows a Hollywood actor (Stephen Dorff) living at LA's Chateau Marmont hotel when his 11-year-old daughter Cleo (Fanning) comes to visit him. It's a beautiful film both in terms of cinematography and storyline, and well worth watching. Oh, and Sofia Coppola directed it!

Young Ones (2014)

I love a good dystopian film, and Young Ones is a great one. Michael Shannon plays a father in a world where water is scarce and hard to find, and he'll go to any lengths to keep his family alive and thriving. Elle plays Shannon's daughter Mary, and Mary's boyfriend might be up to no good...

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Elle was only 10 when this movie came out and she wasn't in a starring role, but that hardly matters. Taking part in such a beautiful and critically acclaimed movie was a great kickstarter for her, and her role as Young Daisy still left its mark.

Super 8 (2011)

Super 8 was a crazy good JJ Abrams movie about a train crash that sets off a series of unexplained events that the local deputy tries to figure out... although after the truth is revealed, you almost wish he wouldn't have even tried. This is one of Elle's first big starring roles and proved her star power, for sure.

Reservation Road (2007)

Again, Elle was only little in this one, but no one played a cuter kid in the family than she did. Plus, despite having a smaller role, you totally remember that she was in Reservation Road, even though Joaquin Phoenix and Jennifer Connelly were the real stars. If you're unfamiliar with the story, a family loses their 11-year-old son when he's killed in an accident. This is an intense drama and a sad one, but really powerful, as well.

Low Down (2014)

Low Down is a fantastic biopic about pianist Joe Albany through the eyes of his daughter, played by Elle. Albany battled with extreme drug addiction as he rose to fame in the jazz scene of the '60s and '70s, and Elle's role as Amy Albany is just fantastic work.

Twixt (2011)

Elle Fanning in a horror movie? Sign me up! She plays a ghost who haunts a writer in town to investigate a murder mystery and basically it's all kinds of awesome. If you haven't seen this one, rent it soon!

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