--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Elle Fanning was fifteen when we started…" description: "\"Elle Fanning was fifteen when we started [The Neon Demon]. She turned seventeen during the shoot. Four weeks before Cannes, she turned eighteen. She ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_cannes_elle-fanning-was-fifteen-when-we-started_94502.jpg" --- # Elle Fanning was fifteen when we started \[The Neon Demon\]… ![“Elle Fanning was fifteen when we started [The Neon Demon]. She turned seventeen during the shoot. Four weeks before Cannes, she turned eighteen. She had her prom at Cannes.” quote by Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_cannes_elle-fanning-was-fifteen-when-we-started_94502.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_cannes_elle-fanning-was-fifteen-when-we-started_94502.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_cannes_elle-fanning-was-fifteen-when-we-started_94502.jpg) > “Elle Fanning was fifteen when we started \[The Neon Demon\]. She turned seventeen during the shoot. Four weeks before Cannes, she turned eighteen. She had her prom at Cannes.” [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The director notes the actress’s rapid aging during production, highlighting the juxtaposition of youthful innocence with the film’s dark aesthetic. **In simple terms:** Aging fast in a dark film Key Takeaway Youth and maturity collide Themes coming of age film production youthful innocence dark aesthetic time perception Mood intrigued reflective Type anecdotal behind‑the‑scenes When to use this quote - casting teenage actors - film shoots with tight schedules - celebrity milestones - festival premieres Key Concepts age cinema director‑actor dynamics Practical Applications - illustrating character development - marketing the film’s unique backstory Questions to Reflect On - How does an actor’s real age affect audience perception? - What does rapid aging symbolize in storytelling? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cannes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cannes/) [Demon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demon/) [Neon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neon/) [Prom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prom/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) ## Related quotes > [When we met, my agenda was "Get Elle Fanning." I believe Elle's was "Get the role." But we didn't know that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/when-we-met-my-agenda-was-get-elle-fanning-i-believe-elle-s-was-get/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The character requires so many elements. The only one who could fulfill that was this one person: Elle Fanning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-character-requires-so-many-elements-the-only-one-who-could/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [Sir Richard sighed. "Rid yourself of the notion that I cherish any villainous designs upon your person," he said. "I imagine I might well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgette-heyer/sir-richard-sighed-rid-yourself-of-the-notion-that-i-cherish-any/) [Georgette Heyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgette-heyer/) > [“somewhere between hello and I want this job, he'd lost all business sense and hired the pretty lady just because she wanted the job.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-wilson/somewhere-between-hello-and-i-want-this-job-he-d-lost-all-business/) Dolores Wilson > [“it was unmatched life experience that bestowed in her eyes the sultry gleam that separates women from girls. although she viewed her “life experience”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-vander-ark/it-was-unmatched-life-experience-that-bestowed-in-her-eyes-the-sultry/) [Jake Vander Ark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-vander-ark/) > [“Looking closely at Molly’s file, Lori the social worker settles on a stool. “So you’ll be aging out of foster care in . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/looking-closely-at-molly-s-file-lori-the-social-worker-settles-on-a/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“The walnut tree told me when Emeline Margulies turned eighteen. Law-wise in Pennsylvania, a girl burns her ships at eighteen. Her daddy was dead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-lindemuth/the-walnut-tree-told-me-when-emeline-margulies-turned-eighteen-law/) [Clayton Lindemuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-lindemuth/) > [“When, she wonders, did she stop being a child? The law says it was when she turned eighteen, but the law doesn't know her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/when-she-wonders-did-she-stop-being-a-child-the-law-says-it-was-when/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“It was two weeks after the day she turned eighteen All dressed in white Going to the church that night She had his box…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-underwood/it-was-two-weeks-after-the-day-she-turned-eighteen-all-dressed-in/) [Carrie Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-underwood/) > [“Every so often the authorities registered voters in order to find out who was missing and why. I had turned eighteen and was old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyeonseo-lee/every-so-often-the-authorities-registered-voters-in-order-to-find-out/) [Hyeonseo Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyeonseo-lee/) > [Once I turned eighteen, I could cut myself off from everyone and finally get what I wanted, which was to be on my own,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/once-i-turned-eighteen-i-could-cut-myself-off-from-everyone-and/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“What happens to you when you get older? Do you just forget everything from before you turned eighteen? Do you make yourself forget?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/what-happens-to-you-when-you-get-older-do-you-just-forget-everything/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [I follow Elle Fanning's career. I really like to follow actors who are a similar age to me. Just to see what they're up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maisie-williams/i-follow-elle-fanning-s-career-i-really-like-to-follow-actors-who-are/) [Maisie Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maisie-williams/) > [“On my birthday, every year since I turned eighteen, she called me at twelve twenty in the morning to wish me happy birthday and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-a-webb/on-my-birthday-every-year-since-i-turned-eighteen-she-called-me-at/) [T.A. Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-a-webb/) > [“She escaped from the schools when she turned eighteen. And she went on to be a Doctor, because the only way to fight what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-bobet/she-escaped-from-the-schools-when-she-turned-eighteen-and-she-went-on/) [Leah Bobet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-bobet/) ## More by Nicolas Winding Refn > [L.A. is, on one hand, very mysterious; it's very modern. It's a mysterious place - it's a haunting place - and everything in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/l-a-is-on-one-hand-very-mysterious-it-s-very-modern-it-s-a-mysterious/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The digital revolution is forever. They put importance on that option as well. With Amazon, you're getting the best of both worlds, with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-digital-revolution-is-forever-they-put-importance-on-that-option/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I think the Internet is the greatest invention since women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-think-the-internet-is-the-greatest-invention-since-women/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I've always felt that I was from the future because the future is really not about what you make but what you stand for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-ve-always-felt-that-i-was-from-the-future-because-the-future-is/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [Art thrives on obstacles. The bigger the obstacle, the better the drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/art-thrives-on-obstacles-the-bigger-the-obstacle-the-better-the-drama/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The casting of any film is around 60% of the film, but it's also about the right casting insight. It's a bit like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-casting-of-any-film-is-around-60-of-the-film-but-it-s-also-about/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [How can creativity be bad? You can have, "I liked it" or "I didn't like it," but, in the end, it's an individual experience.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/how-can-creativity-be-bad-you-can-have-i-liked-it-or-i-didn-t-like-it/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I always approach every film I make as if it was going to be the last. So if I'm going to go out, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-always-approach-every-film-i-make-as-if-it-was-going-to-be-the-last/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I can't make a film that I don't feel comfortable with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-can-t-make-a-film-that-i-don-t-feel-comfortable-with/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I'm a huge admirer of Keanu. I think he's absolutely extraordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-m-a-huge-admirer-of-keanu-i-think-he-s-absolutely-extraordinary/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [Sometimes I just play the theme from Arthur. It reminds me of my childhood in New York and I just love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/sometimes-i-just-play-the-theme-from-arthur-it-reminds-me-of-my/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The greatest artists were in a situation where they had to pay their bills. That's a very convenient way to get very creative very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-greatest-artists-were-in-a-situation-where-they-had-to-pay-their/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I sometimes play different kinds of music to see where the performers end up. I play one genre. Then something else when I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-sometimes-play-different-kinds-of-music-to-see-where-the-performers/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The greater the darkness, the better the drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-greater-the-darkness-the-better-the-drama/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [ \[The Neon Demon\] was more my own fascination with beauty. It's my children's fascination beauty. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-neon-demon-was-more-my-own-fascination-with-beauty-it-s-my/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) [Explore all 237 Nicolas Winding Refn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) ## More Cannes quotes > [I always go to the Cannes Film Festival and it's just such a glamorous time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgina-chapman/i-always-go-to-the-cannes-film-festival-and-it-s-just-such-a/) [Georgina Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgina-chapman/) > [Cannes is a sort of gladiators' arena, and that's the fun part of it. When you accept to come here to open the festival,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-dahan/cannes-is-a-sort-of-gladiators-arena-and-that-s-the-fun-part-of-it/) [Olivier Dahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-dahan/) > [When 'Tree of Life' went to Cannes, all the interviewers were asking me about my favorite actors and actresses because I was new to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/when-tree-of-life-went-to-cannes-all-the-interviewers-were-asking-me/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [My defining moment was when I finally went to Cannes and saw my name along with international filmmakers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikramaditya-motwane/my-defining-moment-was-when-i-finally-went-to-cannes-and-saw-my-name/) [Vikramaditya Motwane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikramaditya-motwane/) > [There are very few things in life I find that are as magical in person as you imagine them to be. Cannes was one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianna-simone/there-are-very-few-things-in-life-i-find-that-are-as-magical-in/) [Gianna Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianna-simone/) > [ Mounting those red stairs \[in Cannes\] is something I've done with a very different intention many times. So it's interesting any time you witness… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/mounting-those-red-stairs-in-cannes-is-something-i-ve-done-with-a/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [There would have been no Beats deal without the Samsung deal. It showed the number one company the importance of connecting with culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/there-would-have-been-no-beats-deal-without-the-samsung-deal-it/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [“Once released from her trading responsibilities, she descended to Cannes’s famous seafront esplanade. Occasionally she dallied for a while, enjoying the sunshine while strolling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-drinkwater/once-released-from-her-trading-responsibilities-she-descended-to/) [Carol Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-drinkwater/) > [ When the film \[Certified Copy\] was in the Cannes Festival, I realized that the fact of having it shot in a different culture, in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbas-kiarostami/when-the-film-certified-copy-was-in-the-cannes-festival-i-realized/) [Abbas Kiarostami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbas-kiarostami/) > [I've been to the Met Ball and the Tonys, but Cannes is particularly huge. Every time at these big events, it's just - whoa.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-sharp/i-ve-been-to-the-met-ball-and-the-tonys-but-cannes-is-particularly/) [Alex Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-sharp/) > [Vincent Gallo has put a curse on my colon and a hex on my prostate. He called me a 'fat pig' in the New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/vincent-gallo-has-put-a-curse-on-my-colon-and-a-hex-on-my-prostate-he/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Cannes is one of the biggest film festivals across the globe, and getting your film selected for a screening is quite a big achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shweta-tripathi/cannes-is-one-of-the-biggest-film-festivals-across-the-globe-and/) [Shweta Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shweta-tripathi/) > [I was asked to go to Cannes to present Amores Perros. And little did I know that this film would be huge. I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gael-garcia-bernal/i-was-asked-to-go-to-cannes-to-present-amores-perros-and-little-did-i/) [Gael Garcia Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gael-garcia-bernal/) > [The film's success so far involves winning a couple of prizes at Cannes and Sundance, and getting some very nice reviews in newspapers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/the-film-s-success-so-far-involves-winning-a-couple-of-prizes-at/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [You'll never get used to the emotions that you feel. It's a mixture of fear, happiness, terror, joy, shame, embarrassment, pride - all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-rohrwacher/you-ll-never-get-used-to-the-emotions-that-you-feel-it-s-a-mixture-of/) [Alice Rohrwacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-rohrwacher/) [Browse all 106 Cannes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cannes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Elle Fanning was fifteen when we started [The Neon Demon]. She turned seventeen during the shoot. Four weeks before Cannes, she turned eighteen. 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