Of Course the Fannings Got in a Fight During Their One and Only Movie Together

Dakota and Elle Fanning, sisters, best friends, and only sometimes mortal enemies, are starring in their first-ever movie together, so it’s only natural they would get into some HR-approved fights while on set.

During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday, Dakota opened up about what it was like acting opposite her younger sister in the upcoming film adaptation of The Nightingale, including that she and Elle were both “silently panicked” about the prospect of acting together: “It’s the person that knows you best in the world that you’re acting with, and we’re super close,” she said. Miraculously, they almost made it through the entire shoot without getting into a sisterly quarrel. But as it is written in the stars, it had to happen.

“I was nervous because she had made it clear that I was not allowed to do any older sister behavior on set,” Dakota said. “I had to treat her like I would treat any other actor. And I did,” she added… “for the most part.”

The fight happened during a scene in a “really hot room” when they had to share a couch, and something tells me the “sharing” part was the main trigger. I’ve dramatized the fight below, as recounted by Dakota, for your reading ease:

• Dakota: “Move your leg!”
• Elle: “My leg has been here all day.”
• Dakota: “No, it hasn’t.”
• Elle: “Get off of me.”
• Dakota: “I’m too hot. You’re sweating on me.”
• Elle: “You’re sweating on me!”
• Dakota: “Stop talking!”

And scene. Sounds like Dakota “started it” to me…

“The crew was dying because we had kept it so together the whole time,” she added. “They were dying because it was so sisters.”

Anyone with a sister can attest to how quickly things can turn violent. Then silly. Then violent again. So, it’s honestly just impressive that this only happened once. I would have been more concerned if they didn’t fight. These girls are true professionals!

More famous sisters making their onscreen debut together are Kate and Rooney Mara, who star in the upcoming film Bucking Fastard, written and directed by Werner Herzog. But something tells me their on-set sister squabbles would be purely psychological, not unlike a fight between adult Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, I’m guessing. 

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