W Magazine in an intro to their best performances article states, “The most remarkable moments in film this past year weren’t 3-D action sequences but characters so real they hurt…In the end, the largest measure of these performances is not their adherence to fact but the vivacity and depth of the characterizations. This portfolio is a salute to their greatness. In choosing these actors, we were not trying to guess at nominations or awards. Rather, we were trying to acknowledge and salute the work, to acknowledge and thank the actors for telling the truth—even when the truth was fiction.”

Here’s what Dakota had to say about real life and screen life.

“It was important for me to go to a normal high school. I have a locker, which was a big deal. My mom had to buy me a lock and teach me how to use it. It’s the little things: Where do you go at lunch? How do you open the locker? I wanted a yearbook! Now I have a lot of signatures in my yearbook—‘Have a good summer’ and all that.”

See the entire list on W!

Film.com has released their Best Actress Under 25 List, and Dakota Fanning has made the cut.

“Dakota Fanning
Age: 16
Let’s forget about the brooding little vampire she plays in the Twilight series. Can you say “paycheck”? Fanning started out young, mostly with roles on TV, and even graced an episode of Malcolm in the Middle like Emma Stone did. Fanning worked her way up, changing with the times and taking on more and more demanding roles. This past year she stepped into maybe her most demanding role yet — Cherie Currie in the band biopic The Runaways. Fanning takes on a lot for the role of the rock star who found herself buried in a life of drugs, booze, and sex at such a young age. One of the most interesting aspects of her role was that Fanning was the same age as Currie was during filming. Fanning portrays a young girl’s foray into the world of rock ‘n’ roll just as you’d expect it to happen. She’s come a long way since the screaming, crying girl running from killer aliens in War of the Worlds. The wide-eyed look of horror she sported in so many of her earlier films as a child has given way to a mature actress who is evolving with the types of roles she’s accepting.”

The list includes Ellen Page and Amanda Seyfried See the entire list in Film.com

Via TwiMoms

Dakota has also done PSA work for Stand Up 2 Cancer and other organizations.

You can see the entire PSA here

Dakota Fanning and other stars of young Hollywood are participating in a Stand Up to Cancer PSA and TV awareness program. Dakota narrates that PSA and participates in a vignette.

According to the Stand Up to Cancer press release:

“Change the Odds” puts cancer into perspective as a disease everyone must stand up to.

Through eight vignettes, the odds of several scenarios that are quite low, like becoming an astronaut (1 in 13,200,000) or getting trapped in an elevator (1 in 24,528), are contrasted with those of being diagnosed with cancer. In the United States, one in two men and one in three women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes.

“It is important for young people to be aware of the scope of the problem and the odds that they may face, both for their own future and for their loved ones,” said Ziskin, co-founder and executive producer of the Stand Up To Cancer telecast. “This piece is about how it is never too soon to take a stand against these devastating and epidemic diseases. Theirs may be the generation that gets us to the finish line. We are so grateful to all the young stars and to Marc Webb and Rich Lee for joining our cause so brilliantly.”

The PSA sends viewers to standup2cancer.org/changetheodds, where compelling content from featured talent and important facts about cancer will educate young people about ways they can reduce their cancer risks, including wearing sunscreen, quitting smoking and adding anti-cancer foods to their diets.

“We want to communicate that each and every one of us can play a part in changing the odds of getting cancer in our lifetimes, especially the younger generation,” said Webb. “Seeing these young stars get involved makes me so proud to be a part of the Stand Up To Cancer movement.”

“7PM CT. The one-hour fundraising event will be simulcast live and commercial-free on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, HBO, Discovery Health, E!, MLB Network, The Style Network, VH1, HBO Latino, Showtime, TV One, G4 and hosted by network news anchors Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer and Brian Williams.

The primary goal of SU2C is to raise funds for groundbreaking translational research to accelerate the delivery of new therapies to patients, getting them from the “bench to the bedside” as quickly as possible. SU2C brings together scientists from different disciplines across various institutions to work collaboratively, rather than competitively, at a critical time in the field of cancer research.

As in the landmark 2008 broadcast, this year’s SU2C telecast will feature live performances by legendary recording artists and stars from film, television and sports, presenting content that provides viewers with insights into cancer.

The star-studded SU2C television special builds continuing public support and donations for cutting-edge cancer research that translates at a rapid pace from the laboratory to treatments and technologies benefitting patients. One hundred percent of all donations received from the public will go directly to cancer research.

The 2008 telecast was viewed in more than 170 countries and helped raise over $100 million. More than $83 million has since been committed to five multi-disciplinary “Dream Teams” of researchers from more than 50 institutions, as well as to 13 young innovative scientists who are undertaking high-risk yet potentially high-reward projects to end the reign of cancer as a leading cause of death in the world today.

So how do you like Dakota’s dad’s sense of humor?