Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg were stunned by the attitude of Dakota Fanning on the set of new sci-fi epic War Of The Worlds, because the young actress made time to meet and greet the kids of castmates and crew members.

Cruise insists the 11-year-old star is among the best actresses he has ever worked with, and was thrilled when she took time out to play with his kids.

He says, "She's just lovely. She's just enormously talented and so fun to work with also. Steve and I had so much fun. It was her birthday and we had pink balloons and Cold Stone Creamery ice cream. You can have a laugh with her too. She's a unique talent.

"She's just a really terrific person. She has impeccable manners too. She'd write thank you letters and it's just very sincere."

And Spielberg was thrilled when Fanning made the effort to correspond with his children.

The legendary director adds, "All my kids are huge fans of hers. My little girls were sending her notes and she was answering every one of them and sending them right back through me.

"We had a whole mail service going between my two daughters and Dakota the whole movie."