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At just 16 years old, Elle Fanning has played princesses and ghosts on the big screen and has been dressed by some of the industry’s biggest names. But like other teenagers, her quest for that perfect Halloween costume looms large. “It’s a giant deal for me,” says Fanning, who had to abandon her first costume idea when an upcoming role forced her to dye her famous blond locks a chestnut brown. “It’s throwing a wrench in my plans, that’s for sure.” Fanning was in New York last week promoting her latest character — a rebellious teen who falls for the wrong guy (Nicholas Hoult) in Jake Paltrow’s washed out sci-fi western, “Young Ones,” which opens in theaters this Friday. The role, which required Fanning to wear a pregnancy prosthetic for the first time, is a reminder that the cherubic-faced girl who appeared in her first film at the age of 2 is finally shedding the “child actor” label.
T sat down with the actor, fresh off her stage debut in Opening Ceremony’s one-act play during New York Fashion Week last month, to discuss her new film, meeting Karl Lagerfeld for the first time and her favorite fashion show ever.
You’re playing a girl who gets married and then pregnant, which is a change for you. Did it feel like crossing a threshold in terms of the roles you can play?
I never thought about it that way. With all the characters I’ve played, there’s been deep emotions and layers. But obviously she’s dealing with issues that I’ve never dealt with in a film, or in real life, so you definitely have to imagine what it’s like.
Did you get any help playing pregnant?
Jake’s wife was pregnant during filming, so I was growing with my prosthetic while she was really growing. She was back in L.A., but she would text Jake, “Tell Elle this is what hurts at this stage.” So that was really helpful.
When you’re shooting a movie like this in the middle of the South African desert, do you ever worry you’re missing out on so much fun stuff at home with your friends?
I go to a regular school, so all that stuff does happen while I’m gone. I usually keep in touch with everyone on my phone.
Are your friends texting you photos of all the stuff you’re missing?
They don’t go as far as the photos, that’s a little mean. But they definitely keep me informed.
What was your earliest memory on a movie set?
I was 4, working on “Door in the Floor,” and Jeff Bridges played my dad. And when you’re 4, you draw pictures of girls that are just a triangle, a head and two sticks. But he’s a really great drawer, so we would draw together all the time between takes. So instead of just doing a stick and a stick for a leg, he would tell me to draw four and connect them to make them look fatter and more realistic.
You’ve been a regular at New York and Paris fashion weeks. What’s the difference between the two?
Well, I went to the Chanel couture show when I was 13, so Paris holds a special place for me because it was my first fashion week. In Paris, there’s a sense that people will really dress up and go for it. You’re walking down the streets and it feels like Marie Antoinette, and it’s a big deal. In New York it’s a big deal, too, but it’s a little edgier and cooler. It’s more like, whatever, I’ll wear sweatpants.
What does a 13-year-old girl think when she meets Karl Lagerfeld for the first time?
Oh my god, I was so excited. The first time I met him was on that trip to Paris where I did a shoot for “The Little Black Jacket” the day before the fashion show. We were in his little studio, he had his Diet Coke, he was awesome, and by the end of it we hugged.
Can you think of a favorite fashion show that you’ve been to?
That’s really hard! I think, because it was just special, it was Marc’s last show at Louis Vuitton. I don’t remember exactly how old I was, but I did the Marc by Marc Jacobs campaign, so I’ve known him for a long time. Also working on “Somewhere” with Sofia, she’s so close to him, so a lot of Cleo, my character’s clothes, came from him, so I felt like I knew him. So at the show it was like, aw, he’s going away!
You have to wear a uniform to school. As someone who loves fashion and has access to such incredible clothes, is that frustrating?
At least we have Free-Dress Friday, so every Friday you can wear whatever you want. It’s fantastic. Me and my friends have a group chat and the whole week we’re sending pictures like, “Is this good for Friday?” Everyone gets really into it. One of the first Free-Dress Fridays I wore these brown Rodarte pants, and those were a big hit. I definitely didn’t look like everyone else.
Do you visit style websites to check out what other people are wearing?
Yes, totally! I go on Style.com all the time.
Is it weird when you come across yourself?
It was a big deal because I did that Opening Ceremony play with Spike Jonze at New York Fashion Week, and I think the biggest highlight for me, because I look at the models on Style.com and their pictures, was when they said, “Elle, you have to get photographed for Style.com,” because I was wearing a look from the collection, so I was in the line with all the models, Karlie and everyone. I was freaking out. Seeing myself as a model on Style.com was so cool.
Is there something you own that you’re obsessed with, or that you can’t travel without?
I have something I’ve worn to bed ever since I was 9. You know the Red campaign that Bono did? My sister did it for Gap. She gave me one of the shirts that was giant on me when I was little, so I thought it would be a good idea to cut the entire neck out so it falls off my shoulder even still. And when I go to sleepovers, my friends are like, “It’s not the same if you don’t have the shirt on.”