For me, being tall was very positive because I thought my mom was the most beautiful person ever.

My mom didn't ever think I would take to acting because I was a very shy, very reserved kind of child. But obviously, something changed!

I was watching TV at age 9 or 10, and my mom said that I came from the front room and I told her that I want to act. And she said if you want to do this at 18, then you can. It was a very simple story, yet, I do not even remember the conversation that I had with my mother. Until she reminded me of the story many years later.

I've always wanted to be an actress, ever since I was a little girl. I always played the mom and I played my sister as the daughter. I wanted to be an actress on television and movies instead of just around the house.

My dad named me Dakota and my mom came up with my first name Hannah. So it's Hannah Dakota Fanning.