At a Glance
- Elle Fanning says Dakota promised “she’s not gonna boss me around” on set
- The Nightingale, delayed six years, begins filming in months
- First time the sisters will share dialogue on screen
- Why it matters: Fans have waited since 2019 for the duo to act together
Elle and Dakota Fanning are finally stepping in front of the same camera, and they’ve already negotiated sibling diplomacy. On the red carpet of the January 11, 2026 Golden Globes, Elle told E! host Zuri Hall how the pair are preparing to co-star in the long-awaited adaptation of Kristin Hannah’s World War II novel The Nightingale.
No Big-Sister Orders on Set
Elle, nominated for her supporting role in Sentimental Value, said Dakota vowed to drop the older-sister dynamic once filming starts.
“She’s promised me that she’s not gonna boss me around,” Elle told News Of Losangeles. “That’s what she’s promised . . . the older sister. You can’t! You have to treat me like a fellow actor.”
The pact came up when Hall asked if the sisters had “a plan of attack” for navigating a professional partnership. Elle, 27, emphasized equality: the set will be sibling-neutral territory.
After Six Years, Camera’s Finally Rolling
Production has inched along since the project was announced in December 2019. Elle confirmed the wait is almost over.
“In a couple months we are about to go film,” she said. “It’s taken a couple years in the making, but . . . we are finally, really doing it this time.”
The delay places the release in 2027, eight years after the initial announcement.
First-Ever On-Screen Conversation
Although the Fannings previously played the same character at different ages in 2001’s I Am Sam, they have never spoken to each other on camera.
In a joint statement to The Hollywood Reporter when The Nightingale was first revealed, the sisters called the project “a dream come true.”
> “We have played the same character at different ages but have never spoken to each other in front of a camera. For years, we have looked for a film to do with one another and then this gem appeared.”
They also praised director Mélanie Laurent for guiding “our fearless” journey through the story of two sisters in Nazi-occupied France.
Sisterly Jabs on the Carpet
Minutes after Elle’s interview, Dakota, 31, echoed the playful tone. When Hall asked what Elle should avoid, Dakota quipped, “Annoy me too much,” before laughing.
The exchange underscored the duo’s easy rapport, even as they prepare to mine heavy wartime material.
What’s Next
The Nightingale will shoot on location in Europe, though exact dates and cities have not been disclosed. With principal photography slated to begin within months, promotional cycles will likely ramp up in late 2026 ahead of the 2027 release.
Key Takeaways
- Filming starts within months after a six-year delay
- Dakota pledged no on-set big-sister orders
- The historical drama marks their first shared dialogue on film
- Director Mélanie Laurent remains attached since the 2019 announcement
