At 21, Elle Fanning is a modern-day princess of Hollywood. From starring alongside Angelina Jolie to being the youngest judge ever at Cannes, it seems the star can’t put a foot wrong. Emma Elwick-Bates discovers the serene secrets of her wild success

The fairytale turrets of the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles provided the perfect backdrop for November cover star Elle Fanning to talk to Emma Elwick-Bates about being a modern-day Hollywood princess. Soon to be reprising her star role as Princess Aurora in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil opposite Angelina Jolie, the 21-year-old radiates regal glamour in the cover shoot, styled in a glamorous Old Hollywood headscarf by Julia Clancey and a silk dress by Carolina Herrera, with piles of rings, necklaces and bracelets befitting Tinseltown royalty.

‘Aurora represents the youth of the generation who is accepting to all, no matter what, and she does it in her own soft way,’ she says of the character, a reimagining of Sleeping Beauty. ‘I think it’s a nice message to tell women, it’s okay to be comfortable in your femininity. Kindness is not weakness – it’s quite the opposite.’

On the current generation of royals, Fanning was very sympathetic to their place in the spotlight, saying: ‘Kate and Meghan are doing royal femininity very differently. I can’t imagine being in the public eye like that. Every single move you make is critiqued.’ And her favourite? ‘I like Harry. Isn’t he the fun one?’ she quips.

Fanning and her elder sister Dakota have taken Hollywood by storm in the last decade, becoming two of the most well-respected and in-demand young actresses in the industry. So how did she end up following her sister into the business?

‘I saw my sister doing it and I was a huge ham growing up,’ she explains. ‘We would constantly put on these scenes around the house. It wasn’t for anyone, only for ourselves, We would do lines, characters, it was very funny. It just felt right at home for us… We weren’t supposed to do this at all. My mom played tennis, my dad played baseball, my mom’s dad was a quarterback in the NFL. We were supposed to play tennis or something. Everyone says Dakota’s Meryl, and I’m Marilyn.’

The Fanning sisters’ impeccable Southern manners are often commented on (they were born in Georgia but moved to Hollywood aged three and six) – with the duo known for sending well-written and thoughtful thank you notes in particular. Does this help them in dog-eat-dog Hollywood? ‘There is a stigma placed on women in any workplace,’ she explains thoughtfully. ‘But especially in Hollywood. You must be super competitive and super jealous. And it’s something that people want to project, but it’s actually not the case.’

For the full interview, read the November issue, on sale Thursday 3rd October. [Source]