Elle Fanning’s journey to becoming an Oscar nominee was anything but overnight. At 27, she’s now recognized in the Best Supporting Actress category for her sensitive performance in Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, but she has already been working for a quarter of a century. Starting as a child actor alongside her older sister Dakota, she has moved from strength to strength, effortlessly shifting between blockbusters and indie favorites, intense thrillers and surreal comedies, lavish period pieces and contemporary dramas. Honestly, it’s surprising it took the Academy this long.
Ahead of Oscar night on March 15, here are her 14 most memorable performances to date.
I Am Sam (2001)
Elle’s screen debut at just three years old was a promising start. In Jessie Nelson’s family drama, she played the younger version of her sister Dakota’s character, Lucy, the spirited daughter of Sean Penn’s character. From the very beginning, she was a delight.
Babel (2006)
At eight years old, she returned for Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Oscar-winning, kaleidoscopic drama, playing the fragile daughter of Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. Despite her youth, she held her own as a formidable screen presence.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
In this reunion with Pitt and Blanchett for David Fincher’s reverse-aging romance, ten-year-old Elle played the young girl who befriends Benjamin and eventually grows into the older version of herself. Thanks to her enchanting performance, we connect with little Daisy instantly.
Somewhere (2010)
Her major star-making moment came at 12 in Sofia Coppola’s dreamy father-daughter dramedy. With her sweet, soft-spoken innocence, quiet despair, and pre-teen disappointment, she more than matched Stephen Dorff’s tormented movie star. This role earned her the first of three Critics’ Choice Award nominations for Best Young Performer.
Maleficent (2014)
Who else but Elle could play the ethereal, free-spirited Aurora, the perfect contrast to Angelina Jolie’s steely, crimson-lipped Maleficent? She brought the character to life in both Robert Stromberg’s fairy tale and Joachim Rønning’s 2019 sequel, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. By 16, she had the presence of a full-fledged movie star.
Trumbo (2015)
At 17, she played the vibrant, wise-beyond-her-years daughter of embattled screenwriter and Hollywood legend Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston) in Jay Roach’s 1940s-set biopic. This performance rightfully earned her first Screen Actors Guild (SAG) nomination.
The Neon Demon (2016)
Finally taking center stage, Elle commanded attention in Nicolas Winding Refn’s deeply divisive, mind-bending horror film—a modeling-world parable that showcased the then-18-year-old’s poise and fearlessness.
20th Century Women (2016)
Another Critics’ Choice Award nomination followed for her confident portrayal of a chain-smoking, street-smart teen in Mike Mills’s love letter to the 1970s. Alongside a lively ensemble including Annette Bening, Greta Gerwig, and Billy Crudup, she held her own with signature ease.
The Beguiled (2017)
In this spine-chilling reunion with Coppola, a 19-year-old Elle—dressed in ghostly white frocks with wispy updos—played the rebellious schoolgirl who becomes involved with Colin Farrell’s doomed Civil War soldier, leading to predictably disastrous consequences. Alongside Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, and others, she formed a terrifying tableau.
Mary Shelley (2017)
Haifaa al-Mansour’s account of the Frankenstein author’s turbulent love affair with Percy Bysshe Shelley (Douglas Booth) featured a classic Elle performance—preternaturally wise, self-possessed, fragile, and fiery.
The Great (2020-2023)
At 22, Elle made her first big splash on the small screen as the whip-smart, extravagantly dressed Catherine the Great of Russia in Tony McNamara’s outrageous satire. Across three madcap seasons, she proved her comedic chops, earning multiple SAG, Golden Globe, Emmy, and Critics’ Choice Award nominations.
The Girl from Plainville (2022)
Stepping away from period romps toward more serious material, Elle delivered a fully committed portrayal of Michelle Carter—the girlfriend of Conrad Roy, who was convicted for her role in his suicide—in this gripping limited series.In Liz Hannah and Patrick Macmanus’s true-crime saga, she plays a character convicted of involuntary manslaughter after a man dies by suicide—a role that reveals exactly what she’s capable of. Underestimate her at your own peril.
In A Complete Unknown (2024), Elle earned another SAG nomination for her turn as a fictionalized Suze Rotolo, the influential girlfriend of Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet) in James Mangold’s reimagining of the music legend’s early years in New York. She came very close to securing her first Oscar nomination.
Then came Sentimental Value (2025), Joachim Trier’s intimate Norwegian epic. Elle plays a version of herself—an industry veteran cast in an indie drama she hopes will steer her career in a new direction. Her nuanced, thoughtful, and quietly heartbreaking performance finally landed her on the Oscars shortlist, along with Critics’ Choice Award and Golden Globe nominations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Elle Fannings performances leading to her Oscar nomination designed to sound like questions from real fans and movie enthusiasts
General Beginner Questions
Q Wait did Elle Fanning actually get nominated for an Oscar
A Yes She received her first Oscar nomination for Best Actress in 2024 for her role as Empress Catherine the Great in The Great
Q I only know her from Maleficent What other movies should I watch to see her best acting
A Definitely check out The Neon Demon 20th Century Women The Beguiled and The Great These show her incredible range beyond her Disneyadjacent roles
Q How old was she when she started acting
A She started very young Her first major film role was at age 2 in I Am Sam and she began working consistently as a child actor shortly after
Q Whats the difference between her and her sister Dakota Fanning
A They are both acclaimed actresses Dakota started earlier and was a famous child star Elles career built steadily and shes particularly known for her work in independent films and her collaborations with auteur directors
About Specific Performances Her Career Path
Q Which performance is considered her breakout role
A Many point to Super 8 as her mainstream breakout but her daring role in The Neon Demon was the critical breakout that established her as a serious bold actress in the indie film world
Q Why is The Neon Demon so often mentioned when talking about her skills
A In that film she plays an aspiring model in a dark stylistic Hollywood satire It required her to be both ethereally innocent and chillingly vacant showcasing her ability to convey complex psychology with subtlety
Q I heard 20th Century Women is great Whats her role like in it
A She plays Julie a provocative and intellectually curious teenager in 1970s Santa Barbara Its a beautifully nuanced performance that captures the confusion bravery