Celebrity sisters Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning were only 7 and 3 years old when they began their rise to stardom with the tear-jerking drama film I Am Sam.
Fast forward to over two decades later, and both Emmy-nominated actresses have starred in countless top-grossing blockbuster films, like Charlotte’s Web, The Twilight Saga, The Perfect Couple for Dakota, and Maleficent, All the Bright Places, and The Great, for Elle.
Of course, none of this would’ve been possible without their endlessly supportive mother, Heather Joy Arrington. The former professional athlete put her daughters’ dreams and blossoming acting careers before hers, and she deserves much credit for their success.
Hers is the story of a mother’s selfless love, which often goes unnoticed behind the scenes. In this post, we’ll look at the life of Heather Arrington and the Fanning family, so read on!
Get to Know Heather Joy Arrington: Personal and Family Facts
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Heather Joy Arrington was born on July 15, 1967, making her 57 years old. She lived in Conyers, Georgia, with her parents, Rick and Mary Jane Arrington, and sister, Jill Arrington.
Their family was a sports-loving one, with Heather’s dad being an American professional football player and quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League.
Meanwhile, she and her sister grew up competing in tennis tournaments and pursued sports-related careers. Heather studied at the University of Miami and became a professional tennis player, while her sister is a sportscaster and reporter for CBS, ESPN, and Fox Sports.
Heather’s Husband: Who Is Dakota and Elle Fanning’s Dad?
Minor League baseball player Steven Fanning married Heather Arrington in 1989, and they welcomed their beautiful daughters Dakota in 1994 and Elle in 1998. The star siblings were raised in Conyers, Georgia, but the family soon moved to LA to pursue Dakota’s acting career.
After the move, Steven ended his sports career in 1995 and found work as an electronics salesman. Although both parents were professional athletes, they never pressured their daughters to play sports and fully supported their passion for performing.
In an interview with NJ.com, Dakota said, “I feel fortunate, and I think it’s got a lot to do with my family; our parents are so removed from this business and so happy just to be our parents.”
Steven and Heather split in August 2018, after 25 years of marriage, due to “irreconcilable differences.” Steven filed for divorce in 2016, the couple reconciled, then filed again in 2018.
Heather’s Relationship With Eldest Daughter Dakota Fanning
Dakota Fanning paid tribute to Heather while accepting the Performance Award at the IndieWire Honors ceremony in Los Angeles on June 6, 2024. She appreciated her mom being “always there” through “anything and everything.”
The young actress also honored her mom for changing her personal life to support her daughter’s career, saying, “She put her dreams to the side so I could achieve mine.”
Dakota described how her mom spent countless hours on film sets, on a camping chair in outdoor shooting locations, and in the dark corners of studios just to be with her, and that there was never a day on set for her entire life until she was 18 that Heather wasn’t there for her.
Heather’s Second Celebrity Daughter, Elle Fanning
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26-year-old actress Elle Fanning is equally grateful for Heather’s love and guidance through the years. She greeted her mom with a Mother’s Day post on Instagram, captioned:
“To my remarkable, caring, kind, strong, beautiful, selfless, powerful, witty, intelligent, glorious mommy! I love you till the numbers stop…they never do! Happy Day to the best mom!!!!!!!”
Elle also credits her mother for her fashion sense, saying that Heather always encouraged her to experiment with her clothes and use them to express her personality.
In an interview with The Daily Beast, she shared a piece of advice her mom gave her: “The way you dress is how you want to portray yourself because it’s what people see the first time they meet you, so what do you want to look like, and what do you want to be?”
Final Thoughts on Heather Joy Arrington
Although the public can rarely see Heather Joy Arrington and prefers to stay out of her daughters’ spotlight, it’s clear that the 57-year-old former tennis player has raised Dakota and Elle exceedingly well and did her best to make their celebrity dreams come true.
Despite her divorce from the sisters’ dad, Steven Fanning, both parents still continuously support their daughters’ passion for acting and have always put them first right from the start.
