Dakota Fanning calls 2002 Critics Choice Awards moment with Orlando Bloom her ‘peak achievement’

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Dakota Fanning is looking back on a memorable childhood moment with Orlando Bloom that continues to follow her, while celebrating a major professional achievement shared with her younger sister Elle.

From her unforgettable 2002 Critics Choice Awards speech to their Emmy nominations, the sisters have continued building on their careers together.

Dakota Fanning recalls her unforgettable Critics Choice Awards moment

Fanning was only 7 years old when she won Best Young Actor at the 2002 Critics Choice Awards for her performance in 'I Am Sam.' When she arrived on stage to accept the award, it became clear that she was too short to reach the microphone.

Category presenter Bloom then picked her up and held her so she could deliver her speech. During a recent visit to the 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast, Fanning described the speech as perhaps her “peak achievement” in life.

She recalled that people frequently make her watch the moment, including her sister’s boyfriend’s family and a friend who insisted on playing the video.

Fanning admitted that she did not actually want to watch it. She recalled running down the hall to escape the video, hiding in a room and later emerging while people were still talking about it and also remembered Bloom “shaking, like a leaf” while trying to hold her up.

The actress remains amused by how many people she thanked during the speech. “I thank God and my agents. God. Then my agents. Unbelievable,” she recalled. She also remembered thanking her mother, father and younger sister Elle at the end.

Fanning emphasized that she does love the moment, even though watching it can make her think, “Oh my God, oh my God, it’s still going.” She and Bloom still reenact the moment whenever they meet. According to her, Bloom will ask, “All right, come on, let’s do it!” She also believes the Critics Choice Awards should recreate the moment on stage at a future ceremony.

Dakota and Elle Fanning celebrate Emmy nominations together

Previously, Dakota and Elle Fanning added Emmy nominations to their family’s accomplishments. On July 8, Dakota expressed her pride after both sisters were announced as nominees for the 78th Emmy Awards.

“What an unbelievable morning for my family,” Dakota wrote alongside an Instagram photo of herself and Elle posing together. She described the pride she felt watching her sister shine as difficult to put into words and also expressed how proud she was to be partners with her in Lewellen Pictures.

Dakota also thanked the team behind 'Margo’s Got Money Troubles,' which received an Outstanding Comedy Series nomination. Elle was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the Apple TV show, which received eight nominations in total.

Dakota received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series for her role as Jenny in 'All Her Fault.' She said she hoped her character would be “one who women could see themselves in and make them feel less alone.”

She concluded her message by expressing happiness that audiences connected with Jenny so deeply. The sisters launched Lewellen Pictures in 2021; when announcing the company, they said their goal was to tell stories through comedy and drama that were authentic to the human experience and not limited to their own perspectives.