INTERACT > FAN STORIES > SARAH'S STORY

On April 22, 2005, a dream of mine came true. Over the past few months I had sort of got to know the father of Dakota's stand in for Charlotte's Web. He was kind enough to give the Birthday Book and some letters I wrote to Dakota and Elle personally - and these girls, being the beautiful souls they are, invited me on set to meet them.

I had just over a week to dream and anticipate the meeting (and also grow very, very nervous in the meantime :-) but the day finally came true. We weren't able to know until the last minute what time they'd be called on set, but John estimated at about 1:00 they would have their lunch hour, so we got there around then. We pulled up (in the 'crew parking' section, which was a thrill! There were security guards all around the perimeter, and we had to have special permission to park there I think). My parents dropped me off, and I walked with John back to the unit lunch tent (which is for the cast and crew to eat - the extras have their own, separate lunch area).

I sat in the lunch tent for about half an hour. I was with John the whole time, and at various times different members of cast and crew came in to eat including Louis Corbett, Milly Darke, and Di (the kids’ tutor). By about 1:30 I was too nervous to eat or do anything, because Eddie (Thorn, the third assistant director) came over and said that they had just finished shooting for the morning, so the Fannings would be there at any moment. It was definitely the most nerve-wracking part. I didn’t know at all how I was going to react, or what would be the first thing I’d say to the girls. I was so afraid that I’d be ‘intruding’ on their lunch hour, or that they’d be so tired from being on the set, and not want to see little old me there waiting for them.

But that was the farthest thing from what happened, and I have to put a disclaimer in that these people - the entire Fanning clan - are the absolute sweetest, kindest, loveliest people you could ever meet. They were so lovely and eager and excited! Dakota handed me their gift, which was a hard cover collector’s edition of Charlotte’s Web (the book), which Dakota had signed inside, with a little note, ending with "Love Dakota Fanning, AKA Fern Arable". Elle was gorgeous. Just a beautiful, gorgeous little girl. Nothing could prepared me for how wide her eyes are :-) She thanked me for the birthday project. Dakota was very lively and mature, and she is so thoughtful and kind - she was lovely, lovely, lovely to me. I literally was taken aback by how together and mature she was, and how nice. When I asked her questions, she looked right at me very seriously and listened carefully, as though I was the most important person in the world, before answering, although she’s adorably silly and playful with all the cast members and crew (whom she’s obviously very fond of and vice versa). You can really see how people could call her a little mini-adult. It’s the perfect wording. She’s so mature and articulate, but very nice and still has that childhood sweetness about her.

Joy offered to take photos, so I was lucky enough to get some shots of me with the girls, which was wonderful. I was able to give the girls the little gift to say thank you - a soft toy pig, and a set of ‘sister’ charms. Elle held the pig up in all the photos, and seemed quite taken with the fact that it was in her favorite color. I was so glad that she liked it - it made me smile to see her dancing around, holding it above her head.

Then I was lucky enough to meet Mary Jane, Joy and Steve Fanning. They were lovely - so young, bright and kind. I also met Dakota’s tutor, Jan, who was about the same age as Mary Jane and very sweet. Jan’s husband, Jerry, was filming the whole encounter on their family camera.

After that I was lucky enough to talk to Dakota, while Elle played with the pig at the table. I told her that I had so many questions that I wanted to ask her, but I was so nervous that I’d forgotten all of them, but she was very kind and didn’t seem to mind talking to me at all. I was lucky enough to ask her quite a few questions, and hear that sweet Georgian accent completely naturally. All the time I was asking these questions she’d listen patiently while I asked, looking right at me, and carefully considering them until she answered. It just shows how beautifully these girls have been brought up - they were so sweet to me, so polite, and acted as though I was the special one, which is astonishing when you consider that really they are the lovely ones, who have brought this about!

A little while after that Dakota and Elle left to go get ready for the afternoon’s scenes, so they both hugged me, waved goodbye and said "Bye!" as they left the tent.

Once they were gone, John and I went outside to get some sunshine and fresh air, and to try and get a grip on what had just happened. Eddie Thorn was in charge of the ‘unit area’, which meant that he took care of us while we were there. It was a bit of a walk over to the main shooting area, so Eddie arranged a car to take us over to the set.

That afternoon I was lucky enough to watch two scenes being filmed, both with Dakota in them. The Fannings - Steve, Joy, Elle, Mary Jane and the tutor Jan and husband Jerry were sitting behind us, in a grassy area. Elle is a true life darling – I know exactly why Kim Basinger and Jeff Bridges fell completely and utterly in love with her while they were filming. For the whole afternoon, she was darting from here to there, dancing on the spot or singing into an imaginary microphone. It was a real treat to watch.

I was there at the set from 2 o’clock until after 5 o’clock, but it could have passed in just one moment for how exciting it was. I loved seeing the scenes being shot on the monitor, and then seeing them being played out in real life simultaneously. One of the highlights was in between scenes, when Dakota (bless her!) introduced me to the whole cast, as well as executive producer Bernie Williams. I met Gary Basaraba (Mr Zuckerman), Essie Davis (Mrs Arable, Dakota’s mom in the movie), Kevin Anderson (Mr Arable), and Nate Moony (Lurvy). They were all so nice to me, even though I was very shy to meet them all.

I got another really great chance to talk to Joy while we were watching the last scene being filmed as well, and ask her some of the questions I hadn’t had a chance (or the courage) to ask Dakota before, which was such a wonderful experience. She was a lovely lady, and happy to talk to me and answer my questions. She seemed as though she wanted me to enjoy my time on the set very much – I was completely taken aback when, after we had been standing watching the filming for some time, she came up and offered me Dakota’s chair to sit on. It was truly unbelievable! I felt as though I was in a dream, sitting in a seat with the words “DAKOTA FANNING” written on the back.

At a little before five o’clock they finished the final shot of the day, and when the director called “Cut!” on that scene, everyone on set clapped and cheered. After they had finished, and people were starting to leave, Elle, John, Joy and I went over to the pig pens and saw the enormous pig who plays “Uncle” in the movie. Joy Fanning was sweet enough to introduce me to Gary Winick, the director of the movie then, and I shook hands with him and said hello. He was very nice.

The last part was one of the most memorable. Dakota, Essie and Elle went on one of the rides they had set up at the fairground. They were so excited, just like any other little girls would be. After one time around, though, Elle decided she wanted to get off, so they stopped the ride and she hopped out, although she was back to her usual bright little self soon afterwards. She watched, while Dakota, Essie, and a couple of other kids enjoyed the ride. Dakota was laughing and having a wonderful time.

After the ride, when it was time to go home, Dakota and Elle came up and gave me a hug. I said goodbye to Joy, and thanked them all as best as I possibly could.

And that’s the story :-) I hope you liked reading it. Truly, I am the luckiest girl in the world. Thank you so much Dakota and Elle, for giving me the most magical moment of my life that I’ll treasure forever.

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