Precocious beyond her years

From Vince Vaughan's immature man child, to Dakota Fanning's precocious personality, this little lady has had to grow up fast in her roles as the overly mature kid in tough-life situations. Her characters will usually lack some sort of structured parenting, leaving her to fend for herself by developing an uncanny wisdom and intelligence beyond her years. As the most level-headed child actor in Hollywood, it's true that Fanning's just as advanced and sophisticated in real life, making her roles in I am Sam, Uptown Girls, Man on Fire, and the TV series Taken mere child's play for the seasoned performer. Now that she's stepping forward into adulthood, we can only wonder what Fanning will do next, however, she's currently following the Jodie Foster Protocol (in which child stars attend top-tier East Coast universities. See also: Natalie Portman, Emma Watson).