We never thought we’d have to write the word ‘controversy’ and ‘Dakota Fanning’ in the same sentence, but it seems as the child star grows up, she’s starting to become drawn to darker and darker projects.
Hide And Seek, War Of The Worlds, and even Charlotte’s Web were bleak in their own ways (that poor spider!).
But her latest film, Hounddog, is the one that’ll have The Daily Mail minions spluttering into their tea.
Fanning plays a 12-year-old Elvis fan growing up in ‘50s Alabama; and it’s a role which sees her participate in a series of controversial scenes.
Her character forces a pair of children to undress by gunpoint, before wrapping a snake around them and, in a scene which is causing concern amongst American critics, she sleeps naked next to her father, who has learning disabilities.
However, the moment that’s causing the most speculation – yes, most of the people condemning the film haven’t even seen it – is the scene in which Fanning’s character suffers a horrific rape at the hands of an older boy.
Columnists are claiming that Fanning appears nude in a graphic rape scene - accusations that her agent Cindy Osbring is quick to counter. “Do they think we have rocks in our head? You do see her face - a lightning shot - maybe 15 seconds.”
Hounddog makes its debut at the Sundance Film Festival later this week, where audiences will make up their own minds.
