Elle Fanning recalls being rejected for role at 16 as she ‘wasn’t sexy enough’

Elle Fanning, who rose to fame as a child actor, has opened up about her teenage years and the less favorable aspects of the entertainment industry.

In an interview with The Times, the actress, known for her role in Hulu's The Great and as the younger sibling of Dakota Fanning, recalled auditioning for a comedy film centered around a father-daughter road trip when she was 16.

The actress recalled that she was told she had been rejected “because she wasn’t sexy enough” and got branded as “unf***able.”

She also disclosed that a year later, she missed out on a film role because she did not have a sufficient number of Instagram followers.

Fanning’s portrayal of Catherine in Hulu's The Great has earned her and co-star Nicholas Hoult Emmy nominations for their performances in the unconventional historical drama, which explores the marriage of Catherine the Great and Tsar Peter III of Russia.

Additionally, Fanning has established a production company with her sister Dakota and has acted in and produced the series Girl from Plainville.

Talking about social media and its “dark” side in an interview with Jenna Ortega for Variety in June, Fanning said, “I didn’t get a part once because I didn’t have enough followers. They’re like, “You were great — but your numbers”

“You have to protect yourself, and also just know when to put it away and know it doesn’t matter. That’s not the real world,” she concluded.