As a 14-year-old transitioning to more grown-up roles, child star Dakota Fanning has an important choice to make: Does she want to be a Jodie Foster or a Lindsay Lohan? (Also, lesbian leanings in former child actresses: discuss) We've always pulled for the precocious Fanning, so you can imagine how we felt yesterday when we discovered that Rowan Woods, the director of Dakota's upcoming Winged Creatures, had called out the actress as a tantrum-throwing "diva" whose performance in the film turned out to be a "disaster" that necessitated some judicious editing. Today, Woods got in touch with us to present his side of the story:

I directed Dakota Fanning in WINGED CREATURES. I am very upset and disappointed on behalf of Dakota that such untruths have spun around the internet in regards to Dakota and WINGED CREATURES and that those opinions be attributed to me. They are not my opinions. My only WINGED CREATURES interview since completing the movie was this one... http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?i… Dakota Fanning is an incredible actor and a wonderful person. She is brilliant as Anne in WINGED CREATURES. The climactic scene of the movie is the most difficult scene and she hits it out of the park. My only advice for people that read such things is: watch the movie, judge for yourself. I am proud to be associated with Dakota's amazing performance. Cheers, Rowan Woods

Duly noted, though we think it's important to note that the original article sprung not from an interview granted by Woods but from remarks he supposedly made while speaking at the Australian Directors Guild conference in Sydney. We'd prefer a little more clarification from Woods on that issue, but until it comes, we suppose it's okay to unbury our I Am Sam DVD (not Cat in the Hat, though — that one can stay six feet under). [Photo Credit: AP] Previously: Dakota Fanning A Diva From Hell, Claims Her Latest Director