Dakota Fanning clarifies new film role after ‘whitewashing’ accusations

Dakota Fanning has addressed criticism of her latest film, after claims she plays a “Ethiopian Muslim refugee”. 

The 25-year-old actress stars in Sweetness In The Belly, which will receive its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival later this month.

Ahead of the movie’s debut, Deadline Hollywood previewed a clip of the film – but a tweet containing a link to their piece went viral for all the wrong reasons.

Sharing the post, which read ‘First Clip Of Dakota Fanning As A White Ethiopian Muslim In Refugee Drama-Romance’, one person wrote: “I’m sorry Dakota Fanning as WHOMST?”

“Dakota Fanning plays ‘Ethiopian Muslim’ and Lena Dunham writes a script about Syrian refugee in 2019 and Hollywood thinks it’s okay,” added another. 

Others said the role should have gone to a woman of colour or someone with experience of being a refugee.

The negative reaction has prompted a response from Fanning, who took to Instagram to “clarify” details about her character. 

She wrote: “In the new film I’m part of, Sweetness in the Belly, I do not play an Ethiopian woman. I play a British woman abandoned by her parents at seven years old in Africa and raised Muslim.

“My character, Lilly, journeys to Ethiopia and is caught up in the breakout of civil war. She is subsequently sent ‘home’ to England, a place she is from but has never known.

“Based on a book by Camilla Gibb, this film was partly made in Ethiopia, is directed by an Ethiopian man [Zeresenay Berhane Mehari] and features many Ethiopian women.”

Fanning, the older sister of actress Elle Fanning, added: “It was a great privilege to be part of telling this story.

“The film is about what home means to people who find themselves displaced and the families and communities that they choose and that choose them.”

Sweetness In The Belly also stars Bafta-winning actress Wunmi Mosaku, The Big Bang Theory’s Kunal Nayyar and Aquaman actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

It is based on Camilla Gibb’s 2005 novel of the same name.

Additional reporting by Press Association