Dakota Fanning

We've got a new girl crush. Well, it's not really a crush, it's more just an excitement and adoration for a young, talented actress who we just know won’t go down the same path as so many child stars before her. Introducing Dakota Fanning- we love her, and reckon you will too!

Dakota is pretty much guaranteed to be The Next Big Thing, and we know this purely from her acting ability alone. You probably remember her from I Am Sam and War Of The Worlds- yup, that's right, that gorgeous little girl was Dakota.

But at 14-years-old, Dakota has decided she wants to do some more mature and grown up roles, and shed her little girl image. Which is fine by us, as she's certainly got the talent to! Dakota's edgy film Hounddog is currently out in the US, and her next film to be released is The Secret Life Of Bees, out in October 2008.

Dakota turned up to the premiere for Bees (pictured) looking so glamorous and mature, we can't wait to see how she looks in the film!

Dakota deals with the same issues that any other teen does, including deciding when to go for her driver's licence. She told Ok! Magazine "I'm the youngest in my grade at school so I don't get my permit until August next year... I do look forward to driving, but I like when my mom drives me around. I love that time with my mom."

We've got a lot of faith in Dakota, but we've still got our fingers crossed that she stays on the straight and narrow, and doesn't go through the problems with drugs, alcohol and reckless behaviour that some child stars do.

Watch this space, because she's going to be huge!