Elle Fanning has spent almost her entire life on camera, yet her personal life stays surprisingly quiet. That’s exactly why “who is Elle Fanning dating” keeps trending every time she shows up at an award show with a new date on her arm.
This article breaks down her current relationship, her famous sister, and the career run that just landed her an Oscar nomination. No gossip, no guesswork — just facts you can actually verify.
Who Is Elle Fanning?
Mary Elle Fanning was born on April 9, 1998, in Conyers, Georgia, a small suburb outside Atlanta. That makes her 28 years old in 2026.
Her parents didn’t come from Hollywood at all. Her mother, Heather Joy Arrington, played college tennis, and her father, Steven Fanning, played minor league baseball before switching to a job selling electronics. Somehow, that combination produced two of the most recognizable actresses of their generation.
Fanning started acting at age three, playing the younger version of her older sister’s character in I Am Sam (2001). She never really stopped after that.
Elle Fanning : instagram
Dakota Fanning: The Sister Who Started It All
Yes, Elle Fanning and Dakota Fanning are sisters — full siblings, not cousins, not half-sisters. Dakota is four years older, and she’s the one who got into acting first.
The two even worked together early on. Elle voiced Mei in the English dub of Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbor Totoro, while Dakota voiced her onscreen big sister Satsuki. Their family later moved from Georgia to Los Angeles once Dakota’s acting career picked up speed, and Elle simply came along for the ride — literally and professionally.
People still search “is Elle Fanning related to Dakota Fanning” constantly, so let’s settle it clearly: same parents, same last name, same industry, very different film choices as adults.
Elle Fanning’s Boyfriend: Meet Gus Wenner
Here’s the part everyone actually wants: Elle Fanning has been in a relationship with Gus Wenner, the CEO of Rolling Stone, since 2024. The couple made their first public red-carpet appearance together at the Golden Globe Awards in January 2024, and they’ve continued showing up at major events since, including the 2026 Golden Globes.
Before Wenner, Fanning was in a long-term relationship with actor Max Minghella. She hasn’t gotten married, so if you searched “Elle Fanning husband,” the honest answer is: there isn’t one yet.
Fanning has kept most of the relationship details private, which is refreshing in an industry that usually overshares. In interviews, she’s mentioned wanting to start a family someday — a normal, human thing to say that somehow becomes a headline when a celebrity says it.
From Child Actor to Oscar Nominee: The Career Timeline
Fanning’s resume reads like a highlight reel of the last two decades of film. A few career markers worth knowing:
- 2001–2008: Small but notable roles in I Am Sam (alongside Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer), Daddy Day Care, Babel, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
- 2006: A brief but memorable stint on Criminal Minds, playing Tracy Belle across two Season 2 episodes — a role even longtime fans of the show tend to forget she played.
- 2010–2012: The turning point. Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere, J.J. Abrams’ Super 8, and Sally Potter’s Ginger & Rosa proved she could carry a film as a lead, not just a supporting kid actor.
- 2014: International stardom arrived with Maleficent, playing Princess Aurora opposite Angelina Jolie.
- 2020–2023: She took on the role of Empress Catherine II in Hulu’s The Great, earning an Emmy nomination and two Golden Globe nominations along the way.
- 2024: A supporting role in A Complete Unknown, playing a character based on Suze Rotolo, Bob Dylan’s former girlfriend.
- 2025–2026: Her role in Sentimental Value, directed by Joachim Trier, earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 2026 ceremony — her first Oscar nomination after roughly 25 years in the business.
That last point is worth sitting with for a second. Most actors chase an Oscar nomination for their entire career. Fanning got hers after literally growing up on set.
What’s Next: Predator: Badlands and Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Fanning isn’t slowing down after the Oscar nomination. She’s part of the cast of Predator: Badlands, which puts her in a franchise that couldn’t be further from the quiet European drama of Sentimental Value — proof she’s not interested in being boxed into one genre.
She’s also connected to Margo’s Got Money Troubles, a project that’s been picking up steady search interest alongside her name. Both projects show the same pattern that’s defined her whole career: bounce between blockbuster visibility and something smaller and stranger, then repeat.
Quick Facts Box: Age, Height, and Net Worth
Since these come up constantly, here’s the short version:
- Age: 28 (born April 9, 1998)
- Height: Reported at around 5’7″
- Net worth: Estimated around $12 million as of 2025–2026, built through acting, brand endorsements, and fashion partnerships with houses like Gucci and Cartier
- Education: Graduated from Campbell Hall School in North Hollywood in 2016
Take the net worth figure as an estimate, not an audited statement. Celebrity net worth numbers are almost always educated guesses pulled together from public deals, not leaked bank statements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Elle Fanning? She’s 28 years old, born April 9, 1998.
How old is Dakota Fanning? Dakota was born in February 1994, making her four years older than Elle.
Is Elle Fanning married? No. She’s currently dating Gus Wenner, but the two aren’t married.
Did Elle Fanning win an Oscar? Not yet. Her nomination for Sentimental Value in 2026 is her first, and it’s for Best Supporting Actress.
Was Elle Fanning ever on Criminal Minds? Yes, briefly. She played Tracy Belle in two Season 2 episodes back in 2006, years before she became a household name.
The Bottom Line
Elle Fanning built a career the slow, unglamorous way: small roles, steady work, and a refusal to stay in one lane. The relationship with Gus Wenner gets the headlines, but the real story is an actress who started as a toddler on set and ended up standing at the Oscars three decades later. That’s not luck. That’s just a very long, very deliberate climb.
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Sources: Britannica, Wikipedia, IMDb, The Movie Database (TMDB), TV Guide, and Looper. Figures like net worth are estimates and may vary by source.