Elle Fanning haunts ‘A Complete Unknown’ with the eyes of a fading muse
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In delving into Elle Fanning’s extraordinary journey, I find myself utterly captivated by her resilience and talent that has blossomed since her childhood days. The young girl who once yearned to be the “adult” with the leading role has undeniably grown into a remarkable actress, effortlessly conveying profound emotions without uttering many lines.
Around the age of 14 or 15, Elle Fanning had a noticeable corkboard in her bedroom filled with pictures she found online. The collection included numerous Tumblr photos and images of fashion icon Alexa Chung, as well as snapshots of Bob Dylan.
12-year-old Fanning first encountered Dylan’s music while filming “We Bought a Zoo” directed by Cameron Crowe. He frequently played “Buckets of Rain,” which sparked her curiosity. Crowe subsequently shared with her Dylan’s 1975 album, “Blood on the Tracks.” Fanning became captivated by it immediately.
As I reminisce, I lean forward, almost touching the screen of this Zoom camera, my eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “It expanded my horizons,” I say, “This music wasn’t just sound waves; it was a whole new dimension. It felt like stepping into a dream world—a realm where I crafted multiple versions of myself and envisioned my future self engaging in various activities and listening to these melodies. That’s the magic it held for me.
26-year-old Fanning is featured in “A Complete Unknown,” a contemplative Bob Dylan biopic directed by James Mangold (now playing nationwide on December 25). The film portrays the musician during his early years as he navigates the Greenwich Village music scene. Her character, Sylvie Russo, is inspired by Dylan’s former girlfriend, Suze Rotolo, although she goes by a different name. Notably, Rotolo was the woman seen clinging to Dylan’s arm on the cover of “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan,” an iconic 1963 album that introduced popular songs like “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright.
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Bob Dylan, ever elusive, has starred in or inspired numerous movies. Here are five to watch before the arrival of ‘A Complete Unknown’ starring Timothée Chalamet.
In the film, Elle Fanning showcases the sensitive insightfulness that audiences have come to appreciate from her in movies like Sofia Coppola’s 2010 “Somewhere” and Mike Mills’ “20th Century Women.” Her character, Sylvie, experiences a romantic connection with Bob (played by Timothée Chalamet), before he rises to fame and becomes involved in political activism. Their relationship is portrayed through numerous intimate scenes together, with Fanning skillfully depicting the complex emotions of being captivated by someone while also being kept at a distance. As Bob’s fame grows, he moves further away from her, and Fanning’s expressive face powerfully conveys the anguish of watching a loved one slip out of reach – a feeling that combines pride with a profound sadness, knowing she can no longer possess him solely for herself.
In a previous statement, Crowe mentioned that Fanning, even at a young age, possessed an unguarded charm that resonated perfectly with Dylan’s music.
He notes over the phone that she has a unique style, both sophisticated and unsophisticated at the same time, sincere yet without cynicism. This quality, he explains, makes her particularly receptive to music and that period in Dylan’s career.
As a kid who grew up in Studio City, I’ve been dabbling in the world of acting since I was just two years old, often standing in for my actress sister Dakota as her younger self before eventually securing roles under my own name. It wasn’t until I embodied the title character in Daniel Barnz’s 2008 film “Phoebe in Wonderland,” a story about a girl with Tourette’s, that I began to truly grasp the transformative nature of acting. However, it was Sally Potter’s 2012 movie “Ginger & Rosa,” where I played a 13-year-old character, that proved to be a truly defining moment for me in my acting journey.
As a cinephile, I carry this role particularly close to my heart, for during those moments on set, I barely recognized the person staring back at me from the mirror.
Coppola recalls being instantly smitten with Fanning when they initially met. He describes her as having a maturity and intelligence beyond her years, while still possessing a delightful sense of humor. Even at such a young age, Fanning’s dedication left Coppola in awe. For the ice-skating scene, Fanning devoted time to master the routine that was choreographed to Gwen Stefani’s music – a concert which was Fanning’s first musical experience.
According to Coppola, she had been going to school early every day for several weeks, eventually performing the entire act on her own.
When discussing with Fanning, there are two consistent topics: instinct and creativity. Although she didn’t have the ability to make career choices herself during her early auditions (directors such as Coppola and Fincher selected her before she could choose them), she now believes she possesses an inner guidance system that assists her in selecting roles for projects.
She expresses a genuine sense of self-assurance about her decisions, saying, ‘I feel quite unrestrained. The opportunities seem limitless and intriguing.’
She attributes a large part of her courage as a performer to her time spent on the Hulu series “The Great,” where she portrayed a fictionalized Catherine the Great. This role was quite different from what she’s commonly known for, as Fanning’s characters are usually reserved and thoughtful, observing the world around them with keen interest. However, Catherine was bold and driven. Not only did she have to perform in a British accent, but she also had to memorize Tony McNamara’s dialogue flawlessly.
She expresses that the difficulties she faced in that position have prepared her well for current circumstances. In essence, she’s saying, “I’ve got this! Let’s go!” or “Bring it on, I’m all set and ready to handle it!
Among all characters in her work, Catherine is the one that Fanning identifies most with. She confesses to feeling a connection to the experience of entering a room and being underestimated. During our video call, Fanning’s lively enthusiasm shines through as she takes sips from her coffee cup, occasionally leaving foam traces on her upper lip.
For almost four years, Fanning’s Emmy-nominated contributions to the show “The Great” and the true-crime series “The Girl From Plainville,” which she also produced, kept her busy outside of movies. However, 2024 has been a flurry of work for her.
To kick off the new year, she graced the stage in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ award-winning Broadway production “Appropriate,” marking her first appearance on the Great White Way.
She admits she was a complete beginner. She certainly needed to grasp the basics. It’s quite unlike working in film as you’re constantly trying to recreate a magical instant, whereas in film, those special moments are brief and you simply capture them, never to be repeated.
Following her role in “Appropriate,” Fanning moved on to “A Complete Unknown” for approximately two and a half months. This was followed by a space adventure in the upcoming “Predator: Badlands.” Subsequently, she traveled to Norway to work on Joachim Trier’s latest film, “The Worst Person in the World,” and then to Barcelona to collaborate with Brazilian director Karim Aïnouz. In addition, she is co-running a production company, Lewellen Pictures, which has 15 film and television projects currently in development.
This year has been particularly significant for her, she notes. She senses a period of growth taking place, and she can feel this transformation happening within herself. It’s unusual to sense such change, but it’s occurring in both her personal and professional life. (It’s worth mentioning that she is reportedly dating Gus Wenner, the CEO of Rolling Stone.)
In my opinion, she seems acutely aware of her personal boundaries. “At times,” she admits, “you can really tell when you’re stretching them.
Before learning that there was a part for her, Elise had already been thrilled at the idea of a movie starring Timothée Chalamet as Dylan. Earlier, she was set to portray Patty Hearst in a film directed by Mangold, but that project discontinued. She developed a friendship with Chalamet during Woody Allen’s “A Rainy Day in New York.
She mentions that she was somewhat familiar with Timothée even before his rise to fame, recalling a photoshoot in autumn prior to the release of “Call Me by Your Name”. When Mangold approached her, she eagerly accepted the chance. This is because not only did she have photos of him on her wall, but also one of Dylan’s harmonicas. A producer from the film “Low Down” had given it to her as a present.
As a film critic, I can’t help but share my profound admiration for this actress who exclaims, “I would have jumped through hoops if necessary,” she confides. “The role didn’t matter to me; I just wanted a piece of this project. Incredibly fortunate, I landed the part, and it feels like an achievement I can be truly proud of. Yet, there’s still a part of me that believes I attracted this opportunity through my determination and passion.
Mangold says he has always found Fanning arresting.
The director praises her work over Zoom, stating that it’s remarkable because she can infuse roles with love, optimism, and a genuine kindness without making the characters seem overly saccharine or like they belong in a greeting card. He emphasizes that there’s an undeniable authenticity to her performances.
In their conversation, Fanning and Mangold pointed out that Sylvie served as a stand-in for us, the audience. She’s the one who gets to observe up close as Bob transforms from a boy romanticizing his own life into a celebrity whose life is mythologized by fans and media.
Additionally, Fanning understood the significance of her character, Sylvie, to the real Dylan. Unlike other characters in “A Complete Unknown,” Sylvie’s name was altered (she wasn’t a public figure), which made Fanning feel an increased sense of duty to portray her sensitively. In fact, the actual Dylan wrote a line for Chalamet to say to Fanning during a heated scene between Sylvie and Bob. Although Fanning is bound to secrecy about this dialogue, it was accidentally revealed in a Rolling Stone article: “Stay away.
She mentions that it was common knowledge that Bob Dylan himself insisted on changing her name, which was a point he was particularly protective about. This understanding instilled in her a sort of unspoken obligation to portray them accurately and fairly.
As Fanning delved into Rotolo’s 2008 autobiography, “A Freewheelin’ Time: A Memoir of Greenwich Village in the Sixties,” for her homework, she also used her creative mind to visualize scenes. She admitted that she often daydreamed about how she wanted each scene to unfold, and then adjusted as needed based on what transpired during filming.
She notes, “My creativity serves as my compass, and it always has. It influences both my personal life and my professional endeavors. Often, I find myself immersed in dreamlike realms. An unfettered imagination is crucial.
Prior to any given situation, she exhibits a mindset similar to an athlete, a trait she adopted from her sport-centric family background. Her father was a minor league baseball player, while her mother played professional tennis. She enters a state where adrenaline takes control, and as she puts it, “I thrive on that. I find it exhilarating, though it’s also quite terrifying.
Simultaneously, Fanning doesn’t isolate herself in her acting. Instead, she is captivated by the technical aspects of movie-making and employs her understanding of camera framing to enhance her performances.
“That helps me,” she says. “It comforts me to know.”
She discovered this device at age 12 while working on J.J. Abrams’ “Super 8”. It was during a scene where she realized that as the camera zoomed in, it would be appropriate for her to subtly intensify her emotions.
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For three consecutive seasons on screen, the actors portrayed complex relationships involving love, deceit, and governance over the Russian kingdom, respectively as Catherine the Great and Peter III.
Growing up as a child actor, she often felt frustrated with being cast in roles that mostly involved observing rather than acting. This experience has contributed significantly to her ability to express so much through minimal dialogue. “I recall thinking back then, ‘Boy, I can’t wait to become an adult and finally have the chance to actively participate in a film,'” she recalls.
Mangold suggests that Fanning’s exceptional ability to work with the camera stems from her childhood acting experiences, giving her an almost instinctive understanding of it as a tool.
He mentions that when you have an exceptional actress, such as Elle, it becomes effortless to believe in their performance. In fact, one feels inclined to provide a suitable setting so she can truly shine.
In the movie “A Complete Unknown”, one significant moment occurs when Sylvie listens to Bob singing “The Times They Are A-Changin'” with Joan Baez (played by Monica Barbaro), someone else he’s romantically involved with, at the Newport Folk Festival. Unlike the rest of the crowd who are ecstatic, Sylvie begins to understand that she is losing him. The camera focuses on Fanning’s face, capturing Sylvie’s unique and sorrowful reaction.
As a film enthusiast, I’m particularly captivated by extended shots, and none more so than the one where Fanning gracefully perches on a blanket, puffing on a cigarette while lost in the music, portraying the multifaceted emotions of her character Sylvie.
“That’s where I feel safe,” she says. “It’s such a cathartic experience for me.”
The way she describes it sounds almost like therapy, excavating herself onscreen.
She expresses that acting deeply resonates with her, as being on a film set allows her to freely express those emotions through her characters. It’s a place where she experiences the most joy, a truly magnificent feeling. When she goes without working for some time, it’s almost like her creative spirit and thoughts are overflowing with energy and ideas.
Crowe has watched her grow up onscreen. He maintains there’s something “musical” about her acting.
In simpler terms, the director of “Almost Famous” expresses that music feels natural to him, whether it’s traditional or not. He explains that this film’s actress has a rhythm that harmonizes beautifully with the dialogue and music. After watching “A Complete Unknown,” Crowe describes the actress as an indelible, powerful melody that drives the entire movie, allowing Chalamet to shine exceptionally without any safety net as Dylan.
How might a teenage fanatic of Dylan, weeping in her car while “Tangled Up in Blue” plays, envision her present-day self?
She expresses great pride, saying, “It seems like she’s exactly where she belongs.
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2024-12-17 14:32