Dakota Fanning Shares Special Birthday Tradition with Tom Cruise
Dakota Fanning revealed a unique birthday tradition involving Tom Cruise, who has been giving her a special gift every year for two decades.
Origin of the Tradition
Fanning and Cruise worked together in the 2005 alien invasion film War of the Worlds, where she played Cruise’s daughter. The tradition began when she was 12 years old.
Meaning Behind the Gift
Tom Cruise knew that Dakota loved shoes and was excited to start wearing adult-sized footwear. To celebrate this milestone, he gave her a pair of shoes on her 12th birthday and has continued this annually ever since.
“He sends me beautiful shoes, it’s a tradition that started, I think, on my 12th birthday.” – Dakota Fanning
During an interview on the Today show, the Primetime Emmy Award nominee explained:
“I loved shoes, and I just had started fitting into adult-sized shoes, and so I was really excited about it. And so for that birthday he gave me shoes, and he’s kept the tradition going for 20 years.”
Details on the Gifts
Host Craig Melvin asked if the shoes were from high-end brands like Louis Vuitton or Prada, to which Fanning simply responded they were “nice.”
Summary
This thoughtful tradition highlights the enduring friendship between Fanning and Cruise through personalized, annual birthday gifts.
Author’s summary: Dakota Fanning has received a special birthday gift of shoes from Tom Cruise annually for 20 years, celebrating their lasting bond from their 2005 film collaboration.