Elle Fanning Sentimental Value is central to the film Sentimental Value, directed by Joachim Trier and featuring Stellan Skarsgård alongside Fanning. The story unfolds around Gustav, played by Skarsgård, a former acclaimed filmmaker who persuades Rachel, portrayed by Fanning, a Hollywood star, to take part in a deeply personal project reflecting a painful family tragedy from years before. When Gustav’s estranged daughter declines the role of their late mother, Rachel is brought in reluctantly, setting off an emotionally charged narrative that Trier handles with subtlety and depth.
Both Skarsgård and Fanning come from families familiar with the entertainment world—Skarsgård’s children Bill and Alexander are accomplished actors, and Elle’s sister Dakota Fanning is also an established performer. Their backgrounds add layers of authenticity to the themes of family and artistic expression explored in the film.
Art as a Conduit for Personal Healing and Expression
Elle Fanning reflected on how her lifelong experience in acting shaped the portrayal of Rachel, an American actress working with a foreign director in Oslo, saying that much of her own life is intertwined with the themes of the film. She noted that the director Joachim Trier emphasizes art’s power as a means of communication that can address inner struggles indirectly rather than confronting them head-on with loved ones.
“Yeah, there are definitely a lot of layers and meta things happening, specifically for my character of being the American actress coming to Oslo and working with a foreign filmmaker. You do see the similarities. I’ve worked in this business since I was a kid, and so it’s a deep part of me, and I love what Joachim Trier has said with this film. It’s not that art doesn’t necessarily heal everything, but sometimes it’s easier to speak through art and your work, and to work through your own inner problems or the turmoils in your life. It’s easier that way than just saying it outright or out to your loved ones. So that was kind of the theme that I was thinking a lot about when we were filming.”
– Elle Fanning, Actress
Stellan Skarsgård agreed, highlighting that being an artist is inseparable from identity and personal life, which complicates the balance between creative work and family. He spoke about how art shapes and completes a person’s sense of self.
“Yeah, of course it is! It is. If you’re an artist, you can be a painter, you can be a musician, you can be a writer… your job is more than a job. It’s a part of you, and it’s you; it creates you as you create it. So it’s very hard for you to give it up or reduce your pressure at work, and to sort of make it work with your personal life. It is hard, but you can’t reduce yourself by abandoning your art because that means that you’re not you anymore.”
– Stellan Skarsgård, Actor
The Impact of Family Memories on the Performance
The film’s focus on the emotional weight carried by a family home and its past prompted both actors to delve into their own childhood memories while preparing for their roles. Elle spoke about how the film’s depiction of sibling relationships resonated deeply with her own bond with Dakota Fanning and how the familial themes seemed to accompany her onto the set.
“Actually, it made me think a lot about my memories of childhood. Joachim Trier, our brilliant director, is very emotional. He’s a great collaborator. We had many rehearsal sessions, and we shared personal experiences. Particularly, I think the sister dynamic in the film really struck me when I read the script and watched the film, because I wasn’t there for those scenes. But it made me reflect a lot on my sister [Dakota Fanning, also an actor] and our relationship. So I felt like my family was oddly with me on set while I was filming because the film is so much about your family history and the traumas that are passed down. For my character, I think she has her own family traumas we don’t dive into, but she’s caught up in this drama in a way she didn’t ask to be, and it starts to infiltrate her as well.”
– Elle Fanning, Actress
In contrast, Stellan Skarsgård chose to approach his role more as a professional exercise to avoid getting overwhelmed by personal associations. Still, he found moments on set that naturally triggered fond memories of his own family life, which brought a positive dimension to his performance.
“Well, I didn’t wanna think about it in a way. I wanted to see it as a role, and I play it, and it has nothing to do with my life. And it doesn’t in some ways, but during the shoot, actually, I found myself, just like you said [to Elle], I had my family with me there on the set in a way. You constantly stumble across things that trigger memories of your family. And I have mostly happy family memories, so I felt good.”
– Stellan Skarsgård, Actor
Looking Ahead After Sentimental Value
The collaboration between Elle Fanning and the visionary director Joachim Trier continues to build interest, especially as Fanning’s career expands into innovative storytelling projects such as her recent work with renowned creator Hideo Kojima on Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. This intersection of film and other artistic media demonstrates Fanning’s passion for rich, emotionally resonant narratives.
As Sentimental Value explores the complex dynamics of family and the way art can provide a pathway to understanding and healing, the film stands as a poignant testament to the personal and professional journeys of its leads. Through their performances, both Fanning and Skarsgård invite audiences to reflect on how creativity intertwines with memory, identity, and emotional reconciliation.
