Elle Fanning Says Her Social Media Numbers Cost Her a “Big” Movie Role
A former child actor and current star of Hulu’s The Great, Elle Fanning is no stranger to fame—but in a new interview, she admits she’s still struggled with the powers and pressures of social media.
During a Thursday appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the actor opened up to host Josh Horowitz about the pressures of online clout, and how her numbers once affected an opportunity to land a significant role in a franchise. “I didn’t get a part once for something big,” she said. “It might not have just been this reason, but this was all the feedback that I heard—because I didn’t have enough Instagram followers at the time.”
While Fanning did not specify the role, she said that she was “firmly” against the decision process in the casting and that she doesn’t ever believe in “not getting a part” because of numbers on social media.
She added that she’s a big supporter of small-budget films, so landing big roles isn’t everything. “There are scripts that I want to take a chance on and produce, and they’re small,” she said, “but ... maybe it’s about the experience.”
Still, she said securing a part in a big blockbuster franchise can help with peace of mind, especially when taking the risk of exploring a smaller project as well. “If you have the backing of knowing that you have that [blockbuster], it does make you breathe better,” she said.
The actress—who currently has 6.2 million followers on Instagram—previously talked about her relationship with social media. “My parents never let me have a Facebook account. I had a private Instagram, but I was always a little intimidated by it,” she told C Magazine in 2016. “I have never had a Twitter account,” she added. “People just argue on Twitter and I want to stay away.”
As of late, Fanning has been starring as Catherine the Great in Hulu’s British period dramedy series The Great, which just released its third season today. Yesterday, she joined her co-stars at the Los Angeles premiere of season three of the show, held at Sunset Room in Hollywood. For the event, she shined in a regal golden embroidered slipdress from Celine by Hedi Slimane—and she did share the dazzling look on Instagram.
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