Dakota Fanning has discussed her experience of working with director Quentin Tarantino on 2019’s Oscar-winning film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
In a recent interview with Collider, Dakota Fanning, who played Manson Family member Squeaky Fromme, detailed her experience of working on Tarantino’s latest feature film and how making the movie reminded her of why she loves being an actor.
“A huge dream of mine was to work with Quentin Tarantino. I wanted that since I saw Kill Bill for the first time. And so having that sort of come true was a moment of this weird relief, you know what I mean? It was just one of those moments that was so exciting, and then being on that set, I was there for almost three weeks to do my part because he has that luxury of time to really put in to each vignette that makes up his films. It just reminded me of why I love being an actor and why this is what I want to do, and that there’s no better adrenalin rush than being on a set with a director that you admire and a cinematographer that you admire and an actor that you admire, and just every piece of the puzzle is so extraordinary and so larger than life. And also very intimate and very much about, ‘We’re making a movie,’ and, ‘It’s a beautiful day to make a movie!’ Quentin, his sort of childlike love, just genuine love of film and television just comes through in any conversation that I think anyone could ever have with him and it just rubs off on everybody on the set, and so it really was a moment of just remembering why this is what I’ve chosen to do with my life and that I do love it!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3im-PYVBO4
Fanning continued to explain how Tarantino creates an intimate and safe atmosphere on-set due to the filmmaker using some of the same crew for his films.
“I was definitely nervous but again, even though it is a larger than life experience, Quentin really makes it very special and very intimate. He’s right there behind the camera and he’s worked with so many of the same people over and over again, which I also think is something that I’ve noticed that most of the greats do; they keep their crew very close and they’re all very loyal to one another and I think that’s really beautiful and seeing that camaraderie up close was really incredible and it made for a very safe environment.”
While Fanning’s memorable performance may have been overshadowed by Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, it sounds like she had an unforgettable experience during her three-week shooting schedule on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood with director Quentin Tarantino.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio (Django Unchained), Brad Pitt (Inglourious Basterds), Margot Robbie (I, Tonya), Timothy Olyphant (Santa Clarita Diet), Al Pacino (The Godfather), Damien Lewis (Billions), Tim Roth (Reservoir Dogs), Dakota Fanning (Ocean’s 8), Luke Perry (Riverdale), Emile Hirsch (The Autopsy of Jane Doe), James Marsden (Westworld), Clifton Collins Jr. (Westworld), Julia Butters (American Housewife), Keith Jefferson (The Hateful Eight), Nicholas Hammond (The Sound of Music), Scoot McNairy (Halt and Catch Fire), Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs), Spencer Garrett (The Magicians), Martin Kove (Cobra Kai), James Remar (Django Unchained), Brenda Vaccaro (Once Is Not Enough), Nichole Galicia (Django Unchained), Bruce Dern (The Hateful Eight), Mike Moh (Inhumans), Craig Stark (The Hateful Eight), Marco Rodriguez (Inhumans), Ramon Franco (Tour of Duty), Raul Cardona (Where the Sky Is Born), Lena Dunham (Girls), Maya Hawke (Stranger Things), Austin Butler (The Shannara Chronicles), Lorenza Izzo (Knock, Knock), Rumer Willis (Empire), Dreama Walker (Gossip Girl), Margaret Qualley (The Leftovers), Costa Ronin (The Americans), Victoria Pedretti (The Haunting of Hill House), Madisen Beaty (The Master), Danny Strong (Billions), Sydney Sweeney (The Handmaid’s Tale), Rafal Zawierucha (The Pact), Damon Herriman (Justified), and Palm Dog award-winner Brandy.
Originally published July 25, 2020. Updated July 19, 2024.
