'Breaking Dawn': Dakota Fanning Says 'It's Fun to Play a Bad Girl' (Video)

Dakota Fanning is the very embodiment of evil as Jane, a Volturi vamp who kills and tortures for sport, in the Twilight saga.

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But the doe-eyed, 18-year-old actress, newly brunette for her role in the upcoming drama Night Moves, said she relished the chance to play against type.

"It’s fun to play a bad girl, in this case," Fanning said Thursday at a special New York City screening of Breaking Dawn -- Part 2 co-hosted by The Hollywood Reporter, The Cinema Society and Samsung Galaxy.

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"I think a lot of people who play characters say, ‘Oh, I tried to find the good in the character’ – like where the badness comes from and all that – and I was like, 'You know what, I just think she's just bad. She just, like, enjoys being mean.' And that was fun."

Fanning, who recently enrolled at New York University, said she'll miss the exciting energy and fan frenzy surrounding the premieres of the Twilight movies.

When asked if there's anything she likes about being famous (since the entire cast is constantly under the microscope, especially Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart), the former child star said: "I stil don't call myself famous! I find that really weird. ... I've been an actor for most of my life. That's just a part of my life. I have so many other things!"

Twitter: @ErinLCarlson

Email: erin.carlson@thr.com