Dakota Fanning said she recently joined the invite-only dating app Raya after growing tired of awkward in-person dates, telling Vanity Fair she signed up "for fun" at a friend's suggestion.
The 31-year-old actor said her girlfriend created the profile for her and that she joined to avoid wondering "what if." As she described the decision in the cover story published Tuesday, Fanning added that she had endured dates that were "some doozies." Her younger sister, Elle Fanning, interjected in the piece with a joking warning — "...maybe my husband is there!" — to which Dakota responded, "I can confirm that he is not. I'm canceling this thing."
Fanning said her Raya profile features the Ying Yang Twins' 2003 hit "Salt Shaker," and that she had not yet encountered many "familiar faces" while scrolling potential matches. Raya, an app founded in 2014 and known for an invitation or application process, is based in Apple's ecosystem and can cost subscribers between $24.99 and $49.99 per month if accepted. Past users reported in media accounts have included high-profile entertainers and personalities such as Charlize Theron, Channing Tatum, John Mayer, Olivia Rodrigo, Joe Jonas and Sharon Stone.
The actor, who first rose to prominence as a child performer, has a public dating history that includes British model Jamie Strachan (2013–2016), commercial real estate broker Logan Markley (2016–2017) and New Englander Henry Frye (2017–2018). In a 2016 interview with Town & Country, Fanning described dating more broadly as "horrific," saying staged dates felt stiff and that she preferred meeting people through friends.
Fanning's remarks about modern dating come as she promotes upcoming film and television projects. She will attend the world premiere of Bryan Bertino's horror film Vicious this Friday during Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas; the film is slated to stream Oct. 10 via VOD and Paramount+. On television, Fanning stars as Jenny, a mother in Megan Gallagher's eight-episode suburban mystery All Her Fault, which premieres Nov. 6 on Peacock. Netflix renewed Jenna Lamia's mystery The Perfect Couple for a second season on March 12, leaving open the possibility that Fanning could reprise her role as murder suspect Abby Winbury.
On the big screen, Fanning and her 27-year-old sister Elle will co-star for the first time in Michael Morris' adaptation of Kristin Hannah's 2015 bestseller The Nightingale, scheduled for 2027. "We've literally never done a scene together, ever," Dakota said in the Vanity Fair piece, noting the sisters share much but are also different and do not feel competitive about appearing in the same project.
Other forthcoming films listed for Fanning include an untitled Alaska-set romantic drama from Joe Swanberg and Sally Potter's haunted family drama Alma. Beyond her acting work, she serves as a brand ambassador for Clé de Peau Beauté.
Fanning began her career as a child actor with leading roles in films including I Am Sam, Uptown Girls, War of the Worlds and Charlotte's Web. Her recent remarks on Raya and dating reflect a continuing public interest in how performers balance private life and high-profile careers while navigating modern, often tech-mediated, romantic options.