Why Emma Collins From The Equalizer 3 Looks So Familiar

In the newest film in "The Equalizer" franchise, Denzel Washington unites once again with long-time collaborator, Antoine Fuqua. The director gained critical acclaim for helming "Training Day," a brutal depiction of dirty cops in L.A., with Washington in the lead. His newest film, "The Equalizer 3," brings them back together, in addition to another previous collaborator. 

In this installment, Robert McCall (Washington) develops a comfortable life in the Italian countryside before realizing that he must equalize the Italian mob. He teams up with CIA analyst, Emma Collins (Dakota Fanning), whose face should ring a bell for many.

"We watched her grow up, so for me to be able to put them together again and to see their chemistry — even behind the scenes, see them talking and laughing — it's like a father-daughter relationship," Fuqua told Yahoo Entertainment. Fanning is a prolific actor who has shared screen time with Washington in the past, in addition to cultivating an impressive career in her own right. Here's why Dakota Fanning looks so familiar.

It is the rare performer who can graduate gracefully from child actor to more mature roles, but Dakota Fanning has done that in spades. In the early aughts, it seemed you couldn't see a movie with a precocious child who wasn't played by the burgeoning actor. Even if it was for only one scene, Fanning was the young actor to look for in "Sweet Home Alabama." Starring Reese Witherspoon, Fanning appeared in the 2002 romantic comedy as young Melanie in an integral scene that brings the conclusion of the film all together.

As an adult, Melanie (Witherspoon) has moved on from her southern roots as a big fashion designer in New York. But when her boyfriend proposes, she has to go back to Alabama and obtain a divorce from her estranged husband, Jake (Josh Lucas). The flashback at the beginning of the film shows that Jake and Melanie were soulmates from the very beginning as they kiss for the first time. This is bookended at the very end of the film when the two decide to stay married to each other.

After a few brief roles in film and television, Dakota Fanning's star started to rocket. In 2003, she earned the starring role in the comedy, "Uptown Girls." Co-starring Brittany Murphy in one of her best roles, the film is a moving example of female camaraderie. When rock star princess Molly Gunn (Murphy) learns that her fortune has been embezzled, she resorts to nannying for a girl who is just as lost as she is. Ray (Fanning) is an obsessive 8-year-old who copes with her father's illness and her mother's neglect by acting as an adult. 

Though she clashes with the childish Molly, the two learn that they have more in common than they think. Both have been abandoned by their parents in their own ways and need support that they have never gotten. Ray learns to have more fun while Molly learns responsibility. Both come to appreciate a friendship that changes them both, made even more emotional by the early death of Murphy. Fanning recalled her filming with the late actor fondly as she spoke on "Watch What Happens Live."

"She just taught me to always have fun," Fanning told Andy Cohen. "She was just a ray of light and had such a playful spirit. So I think, just, she made every day special for me. She was so wonderful." Just like Ray, Fanning showed a talent far beyond her years in the film as she demonstrated both comedy and heartwrenching scenes.

An adaptation of the 1980 novel of the same name, 2004's "Man On Fire" was the first co-credit for Dakota Fanning and Denzel Washington and would foreshadow their work two decades later. "Man On Fire" follows ex-CIA operative John Creasy (Washington), whose alcoholism has turned him into a shell. A chance at redemption arrives when he accepts a position as a bodyguard for 9-year-old Lupita "Pita" Ramos (Fanning). In spite of himself, Creasy develops a bond with her — arguably stronger than the one she shares with her father, Samuel (Marc Anthony). The daughter of an expatriate, concerns for Pita's safety are confirmed when kidnappers grab her in the street. What starts as Creasy's reluctance to bond with the young girl turns into a fierce paternal love for her.

Creasey does anything he can to get her back, far more than Samuel, who is behind the kidnapping plot. Creasy ultimately gets Pita home safely, but at the expense of his own life. As Creasey succumbs to his wounds in their final moments together, he finally admits his fatherly affection for her. This connection is evident throughout the movie and even carried into their film 20 years down the line. 

"You know when Dakota said she was interested [in 'Equalizer 3'], I thought 'Ah yeah!'" Antoine Fuqua noted to comicbook.com. "This is 'Man on Fire' but years later — and this is what he's doing.'" 

In 2005, Steven Spielberg put out an alien movie that did not have his usual perspective. As opposed to the alien-loving fare in "E.T." and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Spielberg adapted the H.G. Wells novel, "War of the Worlds." Dakota Fanning teams up again with Spielberg after her appearance in his criminally underrated generational alien miniseries, "Taken." This time, the aliens are not our friends in the modernized version of the familiar story. Tom Cruise stars as a father for whom this attack could not come at a worse time. Already on the outs with his son, Robbie (Justin Chatwin), and daughter, Rachel (Fanning), he has to ensure they survive the end of the world. The film was one of Fanning's first blockbusters and she holds the experience in high regard.

"It was big, and it was also a family," Fanning told Perri Nemiroff at Collider. "Those are experiences... Those sort of huge films like that don't come along very often, and they're very special. I'm so grateful to have them in my memories." Like the source material, "War of the Worlds" ends positively, despite the ramifications of an alien attack. Ray (Cruise) finds a way to bond with his children and ensures they make it safely to his ex-wife (Miranda Otto). A rare film that sees Cruise's character have serious flaws, it also catapulted Fanning into household stardom.

After transitioning into adult roles, Dakota Fanning did not stop appearing in iconic pieces of pop culture. Stephenie Meyer's vampire romance "Twilight" took the world by storm and it had a short road to adaptation for the big screen. In "Twilight," Bella's (Kristen Stewart) and Edward's (Robert Pattinson) tortured romance starts in a small town in Washington before spanning continents when she has to save his life in "New Moon." In a most dramatic fashion, Edward chooses to end his life by exposing himself as a vampire. Luckily, Bella arrives just in time to save him and meet the infamous Volturi.

The ruling class of vampires includes Jane (Fanning), a vampire who has the handy ability to inflict pain with just a glance. She is Aro's (Michael Sheen) biggest ally in his bid to collect as many super-powered vampires as possible. She remains a lurking threat in many of the movies until the final installment when the Volturi decide to wage war on the Cullens. "Breaking Dawn Part 2" demonstrates just how serious she is in one integral flashback where she throws an immortal child into a bonfire. Jane is just one of the endlessly entertaining elements that add to the campy nature of the series. Fans can only hope that these outrageous details from the books will be included when the inevitable "Twilight" television reboot hits screens.

The year is 1975 and David Bowie has pushed rock music to limits unseen thus far. The one thing America has yet to see is an all-female rock group. Enter Joan Jett, a talented musician intent on creating an exclusively female rock band. These are the true events that became the source material for the 2010 film, "The Runaways." "Twilight" co-stars Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning appear as the film's leads, Joan Jett and Cherie Currie, respectively. After Joan enlists manager Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon) to help with the band's creation, they find 15-year-old Cherie. Already seduced by what a rock lifestyle might offer, Cherie jumps at the chance to front The Runaways.

The rock band becomes a sensation at home and abroad, but it comes at a cost. Young and naive, Cherie is taken advantage of by an industry that just wants to use her up. Dressed specifically to appear as the colloquial term "jail bait," Cherie soon becomes addicted to substances. The band does not survive the inner turmoil and ultimately falls apart. But the effect The Runaways had on the industry cannot be undervalued. Joan Jett became a solo icon in her own right, and the band paved the way for many musicians to come. Fanning and Stewart's onscreen chemistry allowed for a memorable film that was ultimately about the relationship between its two stars.

Following the success of "The Runaways," Dakota Fanning found herself working with a number of key directors to expand her career. After collaborating with critically acclaimed filmmaker Kelly Reichardt in 2013's festival darling "Night Moves," Fanning began to brush shoulders with Ewan McGregor. Best known for appearing as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the "Star Wars" franchise, McGregor made his directorial debut with 2016's "American Pastoral." Based on John Romano's Pulitzer-winning novel of the same name, McGregor's maiden film failed to capture the acclaim and clout that the book received during its initial debut. 

Despite the film's pitfalls, Fanning emerged as one of the film's major standouts. In "American Pastoral," Fanning plays a stuttering teenager whose life turns upside down after she commits an act of terrorism. As the film continues, audiences witness one of Fanning's most complex and nuanced performances to date. While speaking with Tribute, Fanning opened up about what drew her to the compelling character of Merry Levov. "I think why I wanted to do it is simply because roles like this don't come along very often," the star admitted, describing it as "a very complex role." With the complexity came nervousness, as Fanning explained to the outlet that she was hesitant about the scenes involving her character's stutter. "I think having the stutter made me nervous and the later scenes are kind of weird," Fanning discussed, before adding that she "couldn't have had a better experience making it."

"American Pastoral" may not have been a critical darling, but it has since emerged as one of Fanning's most interesting and pronounced performances, allowing the star to step into a unique and creatively daring role. 

Following her appearance in "American Pastoral," Dakota Fanning took on another engaging role, appearing in Ben Lewin's "Please Stand By." Released in 2018 to mostly positive reviews, "Please Stand By" features Fanning in a show-stopping performance. The coming-of-age flick sees Fanning as Wendy, an autistic woman who is obsessed with all things "Star Trek." Wendy's life takes a drastic turn when she decides to submit a "Star Trek" spec script to Paramount — a caring choice that helps her see the world in a different light. A love letter to all things "Star Trek" and sci-fi, "Please Stand By" received considerable praise for Fanning's powerful performance. 

Writing for Time, critic Stephanie Zacharek described seeing Wendy interact with the world around her as a "pleasurable relief." Zacharek made it a point to congratulate Fanning for adding complexity to Wendy — a character with actual depth and nuance. "That's largely thanks to Fanning, a performer who never chomps down on a role–she plays Wendy as a person and not a condition," Zacharek wrote in a positive review for "Please Stand By." 

Of course, Fanning's director, Ben Lewin, also had nothing but nice things to say about his lead star. While speaking with Collider, the film's lead creative discussed how Fanning diligently immersed herself in the role, learning the fictional language of Klingon to round out Wendy's love for "Star Trek." What compelled Lewin to rope Fanning in for the film? "Every film I've seen her in, her face is a mystery," Lewin said. "It really does feel like something otherworldly. Her abilities as an actor are just awesome," the director discussed, before adding that she embodied the character of Wendy the moment production started. 

To have one masterpiece in your career is impressive, but having two is almost unheard of as a creator. After Quentin Tarantino created his magnum opus, "Inglourious Basterds," he made lightning strike again with "Once Upon a Time In Hollywood." Another film that twists historical events for the better, Tarantino's ninth feature depicts the culture surrounding Charles Manson's crimes in the '60s. The director weaves a fairy tale where the Manson family gets what they deserve while Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) becomes saved from her tragic real-life fate.

Other elements of the movie are fictionalized — including a close look at the cult members living at Spahn Ranch. Rick Dalton's (Leonardo DiCaprio) best friend and driver, Cliff Both (Brad Pitt), arrives at the ranch, concerned that his old acquaintance, George Spahn (Bruce Dern), is being taken advantage of by the Manson Family. One such member is a real-life figure, Squeaky Fromme (Dakota Fanning). By all accounts that we know of, Squeaky wasn't present for Sharon Tate's murder — although she did protest outside the trial of the members who killed her. 

But in true Tarantino fashion, his version of Squeaky is more directly harrowing. While she's only in a brief scene, Fanning is mesmerizing as the imposing figure who challenges Cliff at every turn. The film implies Squeaky is up to no good, though we never see her again. But in the close to three-hour runtime, Fanning's powerful performance is hard to forget.

Dakota Fanning is most known for her big-budget film work, but that shouldn't discount her roles on the small screen. This includes her co-starring work alongside fellow Quentin Tarantino collaborator Daniel Brül in TNT's "The Alienist." Based on the book by Caleb Carr, Brül's character, Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, sets out to solve a series of murders in the late 19th century. The title refers to Kreizler, who is close to what is considered a psychiatrist in modern days. He uses his knowledge of psychology, or alienism, to understand the serial killer and bring them to justice.

In his work, he enlists the help of John Moore (Luke Evans), a cartoonist for the New Yorker, and Sara Howard (Dakota Fanning), one of the first women to work at the police department. Sara is perhaps the most modern of them all, brushing off Moore's advances, more fascinated with solving the killings happening in the city. Though underrated on a cable network when streaming was starting to become a juggernaut, "The Alienist" set itself apart from other shows at the time. Lasting for two seasons, the series depicts a psychological tale with passionate and talented actors to back it up.