Dakota Fanning Interview, Coraline

MoviesOnline caught up again with Dakota Fanning at the Los Angeles press day for her new movie, Coraline. Combining the visionary imaginations of two premier fantasists, director Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas) and author Neil Gaiman (Sandman), Coraline is a wondrous and thrilling, fun and suspenseful adventure that honors and redefines two moviemaking traditions. It is a stop-motion animated feature - and, as the first one to be conceived and photographed in stereoscopic 3-D, unlike anything moviegoers have ever experienced before.

Coraline Jones (voiced by Dakota Fanning) is a girl of 11 who is feisty, curious, and adventurous beyond her years. She and her parents (Teri Hatcher, John Hodgman) have just relocated from Michigan to Oregon. Missing her friends and finding her parents to be distracted by their work, Coraline tries to find some excitement in her new environment. She is befriended - or, as she sees it, is annoyed - by a local boy close to her age, Wybie Lovat (Robert Bailey Jr.); and visits her older neighbors, eccentric British actresses Miss Spink and Forcible (Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French) as well as the arguably even more eccentric Russian Mr. Bobinsky (Ian McShane). After these encounters, Coraline seriously doubts that her new home can provide anything truly intriguing to her...

...but it does; she uncovers a secret door in the house. Walking through the door and then venturing through an eerie passageway, she discovers an alternate version of her life and existence. On the surface, this parallel reality is similar to her real life - only much better. The adults, including the solicitous Other Mother (also voiced by Teri Hatcher), seem much more welcoming to her. Coraline is more the center of attention there - even from the mysterious Cat (Keith David). She begins to think that this Other World might be where she belongs. But when her wondrously off-kilter, fantastical visit turns dangerous and Other Mother schemes to keep her there, Coraline musters all of her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home - and save her family.

Dakota Fanning is an amazing actress and a fabulous person and we really appreciated her time. Here’s what she had to tell us about her new movie, Coraline, the rumors about her being cast as the evil vampire, Jane, in the upcoming Twilight sequel, “New Moon,” and her interest in attending UCLA:

MoviesOnline: Is this the first time you've done a voice for animation?

Dakota:  It's not.  It's the first one that's come out in theaters. I did “Lilo & Stitch 2” which was on DVD and then I did "My Neighbor Totoro" where I dubbed it from Japanese.  I did the English version.

MoviesOnline: How different was it for you doing a vocal performance rather than a live action role?

Dakota: You have nothing to rely on but your voice. It's so hard, when you think about it.  At first, you don't know how you’re going to do it because look at me right now.  I'm using my body and my hands and everything to describe what I'm trying to say and you don't have any of that and you just have to solely rely on your voice to get across the emotions that you're feeling. I think that's the biggest challenge that you take on when you do an animated movie. That's what you look forward to exploring; how to do that.

MoviesOnline: Did you notice any of the gestures you made while recording the voice, coming out in Coraline?

Dakota: Well, they videotaped me while I was doing it so they could get that and even my mom was like, “It looks just like you when you when you talk.”  I am like “Really?  It really does?” I don't think that I could pick up on what I do when I talk, but people that know me and even people that don't know me think that Coraline looks just like me so they obviously did a great job.

MoviesOnline: Coraline had a problem in that her parents seem too busy to really listen to her.  Do your parents really listen to what you have to tell them?

Dakota: Well, my mom has never had a job other than being a mom so she's always been there for me every day.  My dad works but he's always been there so they've never been too busy for me like Coraline's parents.

MoviesOnline:   Were you familiar with this story before you took the role?

Dakota:  I was. I had read the book and I met with Henry (Selick) and it was originally going to be the live-action version and I was going to be Coraline and when they decided to make it animated, I still wanted to do the voice if they still wanted me to.

MoviesOnline: The parent/child relationship seems a bit dark in this film.  Do you have friends who have problems with their parents?

Dakota: Yeah.  Even though my parents haven't been like Coraline's parents, I think you always have those moments where you feel like you need some attention. Especially since I'm an older sibling and I have a younger sibling so there were moments when I was little where I was like, “You need to focus on me right now.” You always have those moments, especially when you're growing up and becoming the older one that should be the responsible one and you still want to be the little girl in your parents' eyes.  I think you always have that.  I think that's what Coraline's dealing with kind of.  Not that her parents are mean to her or don't have time for her, they're just trusting her to be able to entertain herself as she's growing up.

MoviesOnline: Do you like Coraline's wardrobe?  They based it on real kids' wardrobe.  Would you wear some of the things she wears?

Dakota: I think it is so fun.  I love the raincoat and the striped stockings.  Sometimes I wish that it was a live-action film for me because I would have loved to wear those costumes and get to be in it but making it in stop-motion animation with the 3-D element has made it so amazing.

MoviesOnline: Did you like her blue nail polish?

Dakota:  I love blue nail polish and the blue hair!

MoviesOnline: You've played some interesting roles in the last couple of years.  How do you make your choices in general?

Dakota:  I've had a lot of great help from my parents, from my agent and my manager but I think that a lot of it depends on my decision because, when you're acting, it takes so much out of you and you're giving so much to these characters. There's just so much in the movie itself that if you're not totally committed and totally love it and want to be there, I don't think you're gonna get the best out of yourself. So it depends a lot on my opinion and what inspires me because I'm the one that's actually doing it.  But I have so much support and so much help from everyone else so I take that into consideration obviously.

MoviesOnline: Speaking of roles, can you talk about Twilight? Have you sealed the deal for New Moon?

Dakota: It's not a hundred percent yet, set in stone but it's not totally untrue or a rumor or anything.  It's definitely a possibility and it would be really, really fun to be a part of.  I'm a big fan of the cast and to join would be a really great honor and I really hope that it works out and hope I can give you guys a definite answer soon. [laughs]

MoviesOnline:   What are you looking forward to most?

Dakota:  I think just playing an evil vampire.  That's really cool so if I got to do it that would be probably the most fun part.

MoviesOnline: What was the appeal of Coraline to you?

Dakota: I think that I just loved the story.  Also, that it's something different than people have seen before in terms of the animation and, visually, what it looks like.  But, also, the story is such a fantasy but it's kind of scary and kind of fun and heartwarming at the same time.  I think it has all the emotions in one film.

MoviesOnline: Does it have any messages for you?

Dakota:  I think it does. I think we always want what we can't have and want a perfect world and want to live somewhere that's perfect for us and just for us and it takes a lot before you realize that there's no such thing as that and you have to deal with what life throws at you and accept that and live it to the fullest and so Coraline kind of comes to that realization at the end of the movie.

MoviesOnline: Are you a fan of Neil Gaiman?

Dakota:  I am.  I've read Coraline.  It's so good.  I've never read Neil Gaiman, crazily.  I don't know how that's happened.  I really hope to meet him.  I really hope to meet the creator of this great story.  

MoviesOnline: Had you read any of his other books, like "Stardust"?

Dakota: I hadn't. I read “Coraline” before I even knew there was going to be a movie.

MoviesOnline:   Do you think that this movie would have scared you when you were seven or six?

Dakota: I don't think I would have been not scared.  I wouldn't have been like, “That's not scary at all.” I think that it does [scare young kids] but I think that, sometimes, people underestimate what a child can handle in terms of scariness and fright.  Because, if you look at "The Wizard of Oz," it's one of the greatest children's movies of all time and the witch and the monkeys are really scary.  You know what I mean?  But, I feel that a child should be able to have that kind of edge of your seat feeling and it shouldn't always be really happy.  I think it's a really good all emotion.  It doesn't go too far in the scary parts.

MoviesOnline: Coraline keeps toys and things she loves from her old home when she goes to a new environment.  Is there something -- a toy, a doll -- that's special to you that you don't think you'll ever get rid of?

Dakota: Yes. I actually lost it and then I found it.  It's a green bear that I got when I first moved to California.  It has holes in it and all the stuffing is falling out.  I tried to sew it up when I was younger and it didn't work out, but when I was in Australia filming "Charlotte's Web" I lost it and I was distraught because I thought I would have it forever but I did find it again.

MoviesOnline: Where was it?

Dakota: It was behind a drawer because I would always put it in the drawer because when the housekeepers come to take the sheets in hotels, I thought “Oh, they're going to throw it away for sure” so I put it in a drawer and somehow it got pushed behind the drawer and it had this grease mark from the drawer like oil on it. Ugh, it was terrible.

MoviesOnline: You aren't home schooled now, you are in private high school.  What grade are you in?

Dakota:  I'm in 10th grade.

MoviesOnline: So what myths that you had heard about school are true and which aren't true?

Dakota: That kids are mean.  That's not true. [laughs].  That was definitely a myth.  I think people don't believe me when I say, “No.  It's great, I have amazing friends and I do totally normal things.”  People are like, “She's just saying that.” But, I’m really not.  I really, truly have the best friends I could ever ask for and everyone has been so welcoming and not even looked at me twice and that's been really nice and what I hoped for.  I'm so happy that I found a school also that let's me leave because so many aren't okay with that and that allows me to do what I love to do.  And, if I hadn't found a school, I wouldn't have gone to high school because I really want to be able to have both so I'm lucky that I found that.

MoviesOnline: You seem to have made the transition from child actor to young adult actor so easily.  Why was it so easy for you? Others have had a real problem picking roles.

Dakota: I think if you really want it badly enough and you really want it for yourself and it's you wanting it, I think you'll be able to do it.  For me, I don't think you can take it too seriously or technically, like “Oh my God, I'm going to transition from this month to this month and I'm gonna do this movie.” I think the things that I'm drawn to reflect the age I am and the maturity that I have and I think you have to be very natural about it. I really want this so badly and I want to do this forever and that's why I'm able to keep going because I never want to stop. I don't ever see myself not doing this.

MoviesOnline: What was your favorite stop-motion cartoon from when you were younger?

Dakota:  I don't know if I knew the difference when I was younger.

MoviesOnline: Who do you appreciate now?

Dakota: I think that "Wallace and Gromit" was the first one that I ever saw but now, seeing this movie, it's kind of similar but very different at the same time.  It has a different feeling.  I think people will think it's a different kind of animation than a movie like that because it has a very different feeling in my opinion.

MoviesOnline: When you saw the finished film with all the effects, what was your reaction?

Dakota: I was so amazed.  When you go visit the set and see all the models and see the animators and the patience that they have to run in there and move it, film it and run in there and move it, it's incredible. I can't even imagine.  I have such an appreciation for that.  It's not quite real and it's not quite animated.  It's kind of in the middle which is kind of surreal to watch and especially in 3-D.  It makes it even more different.

MoviesOnline:   Did you see one of the 9-inch Coraline models or did you not see anything until after you did your voice work?

Dakota: No. After.  I did know what she looked like.  They brought some of the models to show me once they had created them but I did a lot of the voice-over before they even thought about building the sets so I kind of got a taste in the middle.

MoviesOnline: Had you seen "The Nightmare Before Christmas" or "James and the Giant Peach" before you signed on to this project?

Dakota: Yes, I had. And, the first time I met Henry, he gave me a sketch from “The Nightmare Before Christmas" and I treasure that so much. That was really special.

MoviesOnline: From your character in "Push" to "Coraline" and now, possibly Jane in "New Moon", is there a common theme; something that attracts you to all of those roles?

Dakota: I think they're different from each other; different kinds of films and I like to keep myself on the edge of my seat on what I'm gonna do next and do something that I've never done before or something that I've always wanted to do.  It's hard to plan out what you want to do.  I think you know it when it comes to you.

MoviesOnline: Is there a role in scripts you're being sent now that you wanted to do but maybe your mom thought was a little too old for you?

Dakota: No.  I think that everything I've been drawn to has been appropriate and I've never had an argument with my mom about it or anything. We're always on the same page.

MoviesOnline: So it would be okay if you did “New Moon,” the "Twilight" sequel? 

Dakota: Yes it would, yeah.

MoviesOnline: And "Hounddog"?  I know there was a lot of controversy about that.

Dakota:  Yeah.  I was very surprised by that.  I still can't even believe that happened. But I hope those people have learned to not talk about a movie before they see it and before it's even filmed.

MoviesOnline: Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Dakota: I hope to still be acting.  I hope to have gone to college and still doing what I love and enjoying it just as much.

MoviesOnline: Are you still doing photography?

Dakota: Uh huh.  I'm in advanced photography.

MoviesOnline: Are you doing single lens reflex or digital?

Dakota:  I'm doing both this year.

MoviesOnline: Are you documenting what goes on on the set?

Dakota: I'm not and I should be.  When I worked on the "Bees," Jennifer, Alicia and Queen were just taking pictures all the time and I was like “I wish I was doing that too.”  I was jealous.  They have all these pictures of me.  I don't have any pictures of them.

MoviesOnline: Jeff Bridges puts out a photographic record of every movie he makes.

Dakota:  Yeah.  My sister [Elle] was in "The Door in the Floor" and she was in one of his books that he gave out.

MoviesOnline: "The Secret Life of Bees" is coming out soon on DVD.  How does an actor approach that there are different lives for the same film now?

Dakota:  I think it takes on a whole new life when it comes out on DVD and I really like that because people that couldn't get to the theater or weren't able to see it can see it on DVD.  It opens it up to so many more people and I really like that. Having it on DVD, you can enjoy it forever.

MoviesOnline: "The Secret Life of Bees" didn't open huge at the box office.  It needed to be discovered.

Dakota:  That's true and I think it can be on DVD.

MoviesOnline:   Did you do some commentary for it?

Dakota: Yeah, I did.  Me, Gina (Prince-Bythewood) the director, Queen (Latifah) and Lauren (Schuler Donner) and Joe (Pichirallo), the producers, we all did commentary together.

MoviesOnline: What was that like?

Dakota:  It was great.  It was so cool to do it with them and we were able to get each other's memories going of what happened and that was cool.

MoviesOnline:   Do you find any difference between a female director and a male director?

Dakota: Especially on "The Secret Life of Bees," working with a female director, because it was all about mothers and love and nurturing, I think having a woman director really helped because she has two children of her own and she could really understand where my character was coming from, understand where the women were coming from so I think that that really helped in that particular film.

MoviesOnline: Are you interested in directing some day?

Dakota: Yeah, it is.  I would love to do that because I love the relationships that I have with the director as an actor so I would love to be on the other side of that and see if I would enjoy it more or what it would be like.

MoviesOnline: How about writing?  Have you jotted down some script ideas?

Dakota: Not yet.  I think that I would like to be a director first so we'll see where that could lead.

MoviesOnline: You've worked with such great actors.  Is there one you are still dying to work with?

Dakota: I've always wanted to work with Jodie Foster.  She's always been such an inspiration; such a role model to me so I would love to work with her.

MoviesOnline: What kind of role would you love to play?

Dakota: I don't know that there is a specific role that I want to play.  It just depends.  I hope to eventually do all kinds of roles. I've always wanted to do a period piece in like the eighteen hundreds or something so that would be really cool.

MoviesOnline: If you weren't acting, what would you be doing when you grow up?

Dakota: I never even thought about it because I started acting when I was so young. You don't really think about anything else. This is what I want to do forever so I still haven't thought about anything else.

MoviesOnline: Jodie Foster was resolute about going to the university and getting a degree.  Are you quite firm about that as well?

Dakota: Yeah.  I really want to.  I would love to have that experience.  I've always wanted to. Since I was little, I've wanted to go to college.

MoviesOnline: Do you know what you'd like to major in?

Dakota:  I don't but I’ve always wanted to go to UCLA so we'll see if that [works out]. It's just always been somewhere that I wanted to go.  It seems like the ultimate college to me.

MoviesOnline: Who is your cute top by?

Dakota:  I don't know.  I'm so sorry.  I never look. 

MoviesOnline: I think that's in your favor.

Dakota: Really?

MoviesOnline: Yeah, you're very down-to-earth and grounded.

Dakota:  Oh, thank you. That so nice.

MoviesOnline: You've graduated to the really high heels.  Is that something that you've looked forward to wearing at a certain age?

Dakota: I would always, at my house, get in my mom's or my grandmother's high heels ever since I was little so the minute they fit me, I was in 'um! [laughs].

MoviesOnline: So you've been practicing walking in these things for years?

Dakota: Exactly.

MoviesOnline: Thanks, Dakota.

Dakota: Thank you so much. Nice to see you.

“Coraline” opens in theaters on February 6th