Inside Dakota Fanning And Denzel Washington's Sweet Age Gap Friendship

Dakota Fanning turned one of her earliest (and arguably best) roles into what has become a lifelong friendship. She was only 9 years old when she co-starred in "Man on Fire" alongside Oscar-winner Denzel Washington. Their characters shared several scenes together as Washington's ex-CIA operative John W. Creasy was tasked with protecting and then rescuing Fanning's Guadalupe Ramos.

Fanning endeared herself to Washington just as her character did to his. As he told IGN upon the film's premiere in 2004, "She's a bright young woman and she's just a joy to be around. You can't not like her." And decades later, that admiration is still mutual. "It's been almost 20 years and I was quite young [in 'Man on Fire'], but that's not an experience that one forgets," Fanning told Entertainment Tonight in August 2023. "He has always been so good to me and kind to me, and I feel such a connection to him because he's known me for so long."

That connection was strengthened by Fanning's friendship with another Washington: Denzel's daughter. "I've obviously known Denzel for a big part of my life, and one of his daughters is one of my closest friends," she said. Fanning met one of Washington's daughters during her time at New York University and that friendship allowed her to stay in touch with the elder Washington.

Dakota Fanning and Denzel Washington reunited onscreen for the first time after almost 20 years for 2023's "The Equalizer 3." Washington's action series came to a close with its third installment, in which he once again protects Fanning's character. "There is definitely no one better to go up against than Denzel ... He definitely is an actor that keeps you on your toes constantly," Fanning told Entertainment Tonight of acting with Washington again.

But Washington needed a moment to fully grasp that the child he starred opposite two decades prior was an almost-30-year-old movie star at the time. "It was weird, you know, 'cause I'm like, 'Oh she's a grown woman. She was like a grown woman then, but now she's a grown woman," he told ET. "And, you know, obviously a great talent... It wasn't really strange, 'cause she was bringing it." Fanning certainly has brought it as an actor, starring in "The Watchers," "War of the Worlds," and several "Twilight" films.

The duo crossed paths again in October 2024 at a screening of "The Piano Lesson," starring John David Washington, Denzel's son. According to People, Fanning snapped a quick photo with Denzel and uploaded it to her Instagram Stories, declaring herself a "proud friend."