Elle Fanning talked about her personal life and her latest movie project during a recent interview. The 27-year-old actress said she “definitely” wants to be a mother but is not rushing toward that stage of her life. She shared these thoughts while promoting her new film, Sentimental Value, which looks at complicated family relationships and the pain that can pass between generations.
Fanning is currently dating Gus Wenner, the executive chairman of Rolling Stone magazine. Her busy schedule includes a mix of major film projects. She recently starred in the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown and will soon appear in the action film Predator: Badlands. She also just finished work on an Apple TV+ series and will later play a young Effie Trinket in a new Hunger Games movie.
Fanning Reflects on Family and Generational Themes in New Film
The conversation about motherhood came from an interview with People magazine, where Fanning was discussing her role in Sentimental Value. The film, directed by Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier, tells the story of two sisters who reunite with their father after their mother’s death. Fanning plays Rachel Kemp, a Hollywood actress seeking a more meaningful project. The actress connected deeply with the movie’s focus on family struggles.
“It’s kind of the beauty of this film, the universal themes that people are relating to, and it is about this family that is broken and the traumas that are passed down through families that sometimes you don’t realize, but we all have them. There’s a kind of healing power of art,” Fanning said.
She added that the story does not offer a perfect solution but can start a process of understanding. Fanning explained her character is famous but feels unfulfilled, a feeling she has sometimes related to in her own career.
Cast Honored at Palm Springs Film Festival
The promotion for Sentimental Value is in full swing as the film receives critical praise. Just last night, on January 3, 2026, Fanning walked the red carpet at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. The entire cast of the film was honored with the festival’s International Star Award, the first time this award has been given to an ensemble.
Other cast members, including Stellan Skarsgård, Renate Reinsve, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, were also present to accept the award. The festival chairman said the award recognizes the “extraordinary group” that embodies the spirit of international cinema. Sentimental Value is Norway’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the upcoming Academy Awards.
On-Screen Dynamic with Stellan Skarsgård
In the film, Fanning’s character, Rachel, is cast by Skarsgård’s character, a celebrated director named Gustav, after his own daughter turns down the role. This creates a complex relationship where the actress becomes a sort of substitute for the director’s estranged child. In an interview, Fanning and Skarsgård discussed how they built this unique on-screen connection.
“We’re both child actors, so we have that in common,” Fanning said, noting they filmed their first scenes together on a beach in Deauville, France, which helped establish their characters’ initial spark.
Skarsgård praised Fanning, calling her a “fantastic woman” and saying it was easy to work with her. He also spoke about the special environment director Joachim Trier creates for actors, making the set a safe place where performers feel like a “source of inspiration”.
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Upcoming Project with Sister Dakota Fanning
While thinking about her own future family, Fanning is also preparing for a major professional moment with her real-life family. She is set to star alongside her older sister, Dakota Fanning, in the film adaptation of The Nightingale, scheduled for release in 2027. This will be the first time the sisters have shared the screen as co-stars, though Elle played the younger version of Dakota’s character in I Am Sam over two decades ago.
Dakota has spoken about their strong, non-competitive bond. “We have a very playful relationship, but we’re not competitive. We were never competitive growing up. We have really different personalities too, so I think that’s also helpful,” she told E! News. Elle has credited their parents and grandmother for providing a stable, normal childhood despite their early fame.
Fanning’s immediate focus remains on her current project, Sentimental Value, which is now playing in theaters and available on streaming platforms like Apple TV+ and Prime Video.
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