Dakota Fanning’s New Movie Gave Her & Her Cast One Of The Most Bizarre Filming Experiences Yet

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Dakota Fanning traveled to Alaska to film her latest movie, The Sun Never Sets, and the experience was unlike any other she’s had on set.

I recently watched a film starring Mark Fanning and directed by Joe Swanberg, and it really drew me in. It’s about a woman named Wendy who’s trying to figure things out in life while living in Alaska. Her boyfriend, who’s been married before and has kids, suggests they need some space, and then, out of the blue, she reconnects with an ex, Chuck. It quickly becomes a complicated love triangle, full of all the messy feelings you’d expect – heartbreak, confusion, and a lot of emotional ups and downs.

For his film, The Sun Never Sets, director Joe Swanberg has brought together a talented cast. This includes Jake Johnson, known for Spider-Verse and previous collaborations with Swanberg in films like Drinking Buddies, Digging for Fire, and Win It All. Also starring are Cory Michael Smith from Saturday Night Live, Debby Ryan of Insatiable, Anna Konkle from PEN15, Lamorne Morris who appeared alongside Johnson in New Girl, and Karley Sciortino from Easy.

To celebrate the premiere of their film at SXSW, ScreenRant’s Ash Crossan spoke with Dakota Fanning, Jake Johnson, Joe Swanberg, and Cory Michael Smith about The Sun Never Sets. When asked about filming in Alaska, where the sun barely sets during summer, Fanning said she “really liked it” and found it “neat.” However, she mentioned that Jake Johnson didn’t enjoy it, and Cory Michael Smith agreed it was a strange experience.

You know, watching Cory Michael Smith talk about it reminded me of ‘The Walking Dead,’ but in a weird way. He described seeing people stumbling around late at night, and it just brought that image to mind – like seeing zombies wandering the streets, only they’re just really drunk people!

Jake Johnson:At normal times, but you see it.

Corey Michael Smith: Yeah, so it feels problematic. The culture feels problematic.

Jake Johnson: I agree 100%.

While some of her fellow actors struggled with filming in Alaska, Dakota Fanning actually enjoyed seeing children playing outside late at night, around 9:45 PM. Her co-stars, Johnson and Smith, jokingly reminded her they were filming near a set filled with zombie extras, which made it seem like everyone was stumbling around during the day. Johnson eventually warmed up to Alaska, praising the friendly locals, even though the long periods of darkness—especially when the sun doesn’t rise at all in the winter—were a bit strange.

Living there is really different because they have almost 23 hours of darkness each day. It’s a strange experience – you might see kids playing at midnight, and then also witness things like people using drugs at a gas station, all while it’s still fairly bright outside. It’s just unusual; we tend to stay inside when it’s dark, but there, it’s light even late at night.

Smith explained that filming The Sun Never Sets during the Alaskan polar night would have been incredibly challenging, and he was relieved that everyone on the team maintained good mental health throughout the production. Fanning concurred, saying it would have been much more difficult for her, but ultimately felt that the chance to film in Alaska was a truly special experience.

Smith talked about playing a pilot in The Sun Never Sets and how he actually got to fly around Alaska during filming, calling it an incredible experience. He clarified that he wasn’t legally piloting the plane, a point jokingly made by Swanberg, who reminded him he was an actor, not a pilot. Smith explained that he felt very different from the character and wanted to spend as much time as possible with real pilots to prepare for the role.

The Sun Never Sets Is Swanberg’s Favorite Film He’s Ever Made

ScreenRant: What is it about SXSW that keeps you coming back?

As a film lover, Sundance holds a really special place in my heart, and for good reason! I’ve been following Joe Swanberg’s work for years, and it’s amazing to learn that Sundance championed him right from the start. He told me his first five features actually premiered there, one after the other, for five years running! That’s incredible. Both he and Jake feel like it’s truly ‘home’ for them, and honestly, I get it. They adore the audiences and the whole festival vibe. It just seems like the ideal place to share a film.

ScreenRant: What is it about your collaboration with Joe that you think is unique?

I’m a big fan of his work. Jake Johnson thinks he’s a really talented director with a great approach to filmmaking, and he also finds him charming and effortlessly cool.

ScreenRant asked me to describe the characters and explain how I relate to them – what similarities and differences we share.

Corey Michael Smith shared that he doesn’t have a background in Alaska or piloting. However, he feels a personal connection to the character’s struggles, admitting he relates to those challenges on an emotional level.

Jake Johnson: I love the “unfortunately.” [Laughs]

Joe Swanberg: Bad credit score. Financially irresponsible.

Corey Michael Smith’s character tends to shut down during disagreements, which was challenging and emotionally draining to portray. However, he leaned into this trait because his role was to present Wendy with a contrast to Jake’s character. He used his understanding of Jake’s performance to shape and define his own character.

My character, Jack, was inspired by a story from my friend Joe. He suggested we film a movie in Alaska and shared a concept where his character initially seems in control of a situation, but then loses control and tries to regain it. We both found that moment really funny. After meeting with Dakota, we started developing Jack’s personality by asking her what qualities would make her character attracted to someone like him – a man with kids, who’s older, a bit overweight, and a bit rough around the edges. We jokingly referred to ourselves as ‘two big sausages,’ but we wanted to understand what would draw her character to someone like Jack, so we built his personality around that idea.

ScreenRant praised Wendy as a standout character, describing her as refreshingly honest and direct throughout the movie, which they found to be excellent. They particularly highlighted her exceptional communication skills, noting she always strives to do her best and serves as a great example of effective communication.

Dakota Fanning acknowledged that she connected with her character, Wendy, on a personal level. She explained that when an actor takes on a role, they naturally bring some of their own personality and experiences to it, and that happened with Wendy. While Wendy is more adventurous and loves the outdoors – something Fanning pointed out to the director, Joe – living in Alaska inevitably connects a person to nature, which was a fun challenge for her to explore. Fanning also shared her own thoughts and experiences with dating to make the character feel authentic. She appreciates that Joe’s films feel realistic, and she wanted her portrayal of Wendy to be relatable and truthful to audiences.

I think this is a genuinely heartwarming film. Everyone will be thrilled to see Dakota Fanning in this part – we were all secretly wondering how she’d do, but she delivered an outstanding performance. It was a really energetic shoot, and Joe and I initially didn’t know what to expect from her. But after just the first scene, Joe texted me saying we were in great hands, and that feeling continued as we watched her work. I really think audiences are going to love what she does in this movie.

I completely agree. When I first read the script, I told Joe how impressed I was by the complexity of the relationships, especially Wendy’s journey. It’s a really intense experience watching what she goes through, and I thought it would be a huge challenge to portray. Seeing the finished product for the first time was amazing. I enjoyed working with Dakota, but her performance is truly the heart of the story. She’s incredibly vulnerable and draws you in completely, and I can’t wait for everyone to see what she’s done.

I truly believe this is Joe’s best film. We haven’t worked on a movie together since 2017, and it’s been amazing to watch him develop as an artist. Usually, our projects are very collaborative, especially when creating the characters. But this time, Joe had a strong, clear vision. There wasn’t a traditional script; we’d rehearse a few times, and then he’d guide us. He’d often say, ‘Trust your instincts,’ but then ask us to follow his direction. It really felt like we were bringing his unique vision to life, and the result is a beautiful movie.

I think this is my best film yet – I absolutely love it! I’m incredibly proud of how it turned out, and I had a fantastic time working with everyone involved. I wouldn’t change a single shot; it was a truly great experience.

It was honestly one of the best experiences of my life. If you’re watching it, just know that we had an amazing time making it!

ScreenRant: Corey, you just wrapped an A24 movie? Is that true?

It’s a new movie directed by Jeremy Saulnier, and it’s the first time I’ve been the lead in a big studio film. It’s a fast-paced, thrilling, and slightly scary movie – think Halloween vibes. I don’t want to give too much away, but it involved a lot of physical work for me, and Jeremy is a fantastic director. I think it’s going to be really good.

Be sure to dive into some of ScreenRant‘s other SXSW coverage with:

  • Sun Never Sets Review
  • Dead Eyes Review
  • One Another Review
  • Dakota Fanning reacting to All Her Fault‘s record-breaking success
  • Kill Me Review
  • Sydney Chandler sharing her ideal Alien: Earth season 2 story for Wendy and the Lost Boys as production ramps up
  • Chandler, Takehiro Hira, Maximilian Lee Piazza & Brian Tetsuro Ivie talking Anima‘s experimental filming
  • Ready or Not 2: Here I Come Review
  • Saviors Review
  • Robin Tunney weighing in on a Mentalist revival after its Netflix resurgence
  • The cast and producer of I Love Boosters hype Boots Riley & Keke Palmer’s “unapologetic” new crime movie
  • Yul Vazquez explaining why he has yet to return to Severance
  • Jake Johnson on the chances of Peter B. Parker getting a Spider-Verse live-action spinoff
  • David E. Kelley, Elle Fanning and the Margo’s Got Money Troubles cast on their Apple TV comedy and why Michelle Pfeiffer was the only choice to help lead it
  • Elijah Wood teasing that his mysterious Ready or Not 2: Here I Come character may be immortal
  • The Ready or Not 2: Here I Come director and cast on the sequel’s new cabal of wealthy Satanists
  • The AI Doc: Or How I Became An Apocaloptimist team breaking down just how extensive their research was
  • Family Movie Review
  • Jessica Rothe on the ongoing wait for Happy Death Day 3 to close out the Blumhouse franchise
  • Power Ballad Review
  • BenDavid Grabinski on how Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice breaks a classic sci-fi time-travel trope

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2026-03-15 19:50