Movie goers around the country today will have a chance to see the daughter of a former Georgia State baseball and basketball player on the silver screen.
Dakota Fanning, the daughter of Steve and Joy Fanning, is one of the stars of the children's film "Charlotte's Web." The classic tale of a young girl and her pet pig written by E.B. White and read by millions hits movie theaters as a live-action version. Dakota Fanning will play the role of Fern, the young girl that early in the movie saves a runt pig from being killed by her father. The pig, named Wilbur, eventually becomes friends with Fern and the rest of the barnyard animals, including the title character of Charlotte, a spider.
Hannah Dakota Fanning got her big break in 2001 when she appeared in the film "I Am Sam" alongside Sean Penn and Michelle Phiefer. She appeared in Steven Spielberg's mini-series "Taken" in 2002, and also co-starred in 2003's "The Cat in the Hat." She appeared next to Tom Cruise in "War of the Worlds" as Cruise's daughter, earning her rave reviews. Perhaps the busiest child actress in Hollywood, Dakota appears in "Charlotte's Web" alongside animals voiced by Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Redford, and Reba McEntire.
Her father Steve lettered at Georgia State in both basketball and baseball. He played basketball for two seasons, playing in 15 games in 1985-86 and 20 games the following season. He only played one season of baseball for Georgia State, but that was not by his choice. Before the start of the 1987 season, Georgia State put the baseball program on the shelf until 1992. With no place at the school he attended to play the sport he loved, Steve Fanning would eventually transfer. His skills on the diamond were obviously better than on the basketball court, as he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1988 and played in the minor leagues for a few seasons.
Steve and Joy Fanning welcomed Dakota into the world February 23, 1994. The family is from Conyers, where 6' 3" Steve played sports and attended Heritage High School and led them to the Class 4A Final Four with his 19 points per game average as a second team All-State pick.
