By Tina Warren
We’ve been watching her ... and not in a creepy Freddy Krueger sort of way. This week's Girl Crush grew up before our very own eyes and we feel like a proud parent to have witnessed her transformation. And who exactly are we crushing on, might you ask? The lovely Dakota Fanning.
At just 7-years-old, Dakota was taking risks in her acting, playing opposite Sean Penn in "I Am Sam," which earned her a nomination for a SAG award (Did we mention she’s the youngest ever to be nominated?). And for a time it seemed like Dakota played in every film which called for a young girl, like "War of the Worlds" and "Charlottes Webb," giving her a chance to show the world what she could do.
Now, with roles in "The Twilight Saga," and her new film, "The Runaways," Dakota’s role choices are becoming edgier — much, much edgier. In "The Runaways," she plays Cherie Currie, the boundary-pushing lead singer of the band.
Why else do we love Dakota? With poise, classic good-looks and acting chops to boot, it's clear she was made to be a leading lady. Not only have her acting roles matured, but her wardrobe has, too. She keeps it simple with pin-straight hair, channeling another famous gal, Jennifer Aniston. And you can usually catch her in short, slinky — but still age appropriate — dresses with some sexy heals.
Whatever Dakota does inevitably screams success, and this girl’s career has been anything but ordinary! We’re excited to see what she does next; we just hope she doesn’t, uh, Runaway on us (da da da ching!)
Let us know who you have a Girl Crush on in the comments section below, or send us a tweet and tell us who else you think we should feature @hollywoodcrush!

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