Elle Fanning Had A 'Big Mountain To Climb' For 'About Ray', Director Says

Elle Fanning walks side by side boyfriend Zalman Band while heading to the movies in Hollywood on Tuesday night (August 18).

Earlier in the day, the 17-year-old actress’ older sister Dakota was seen running a few errands around town.

“I could not have chosen a more blonde, more feminine actress who had a big a mountain to climb,” director Gaby Dellal told Refinery29 about casting Elle in About Ray. “And that’s what I’m interested in.”

She added about the role, “The part is a girl and she is a girl who is presenting in a very ineffectual way as a boy. She’s not pretending to have a deeper voice. She’s just a girl who is being herself and is chasing the opportunity to start hormone treatment. So to actually use a trans boy was not an option because this isn’t what my story is about.”

10+ pictures inside of Elle and Dakota Fanning out and about…