Best Actress 2013: Dakota Fanning

Child prodigy Dakota Fanning has been blessed in her career opportunities as she is talented.  Almost nineteen years old, she has worked alongside the likes of Steven Spielberg, Tom Cruise, Sean Penn, Robert DeNiro, and Denzel Washington.  She has also portrayed the younger version of Reese Witherspoon.  With Hounddog from a few years back, the intent was to turn her into the next Jodie Foster, but it didn't quite pan out that way.  However, as she grew into her teens, she took on a more mature role that fit her quite well as Cherie Currie in The Runaways.  Additionally, she hitched her wagon to costar Kristen Stewart's Twilight franchise.  She has several interesting projects awaiting release, including a few directed by females (Naomi Foner and Kelly Reichardt).  Her most promising film for 2013, however, appears to be Effie, based on a young 1800s socialite married to art critic John Ruskin.  Effie Gray ended up annulling her marriage due in part to her husband's physical repulsion towards her.  Despite finding love with painter John Millais, she became a pariah of sorts for her decision.  Emma Thompson wrote the screenplay.  Thompson has a role, as well as Greg Wise, Tom Sturridge, and Derek Jacobi.  Others involved include Cinematographer Andrew Dunn (The Madness of King George) and Costume Designer Ruth Myers (Emma, The Addams Family, L.A. Confidential).  Richard Laxton directed the film over a year ago in Venice, Italy.  No U.S. distribution has been set up yet.  There has been a competing movie project, which hasn't yet filmed.  As well, a few suits have been filed against Thompson's screenplay for breech of copyright.  One has been dropped, then other still unresolved.

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