Elle Fanning has admitted Instagram left her comparing herself unfavourably to others.

Elle Fanning

Elle Fanning

The 21-year-old actress wants people to celebrate their differences and understand social media doesn't always show reality, but she admitted she's also fallen victim to letting others' posts affect her confidence.

She told People magazine: "I have Instagram and you can't help but compare yourself to others and think, 'I wish I looked like them' or 'I wish I had that life.

"But what they're showing on Instagram isn't necessarily the full truth. You have to be the best version of you and [know] your differences make you strong and great. That's something I hope comes across...

"I think it's important to remind girls, 'Hey, don't compare yourself to others and stay true to yourself,'"

The 'Maleficent' actress has narrated the first five books for the audio version of Ann M. Martin's 'The Baby-Sitters Club' series - which were released more than 30 years ago - and she was delighted to bring the tales to a new generation because she thinks they can teach girls a lot.

She said: "Each girl [in the series] has such a distinct point of view and a very strong voice. They're not afraid to speak their opinions, which I think is very important.

"They're super '80s, which is so fun- I so enjoyed them: the bond between these girls and the ups and downs of school," she added. "I'm glad I can help bring the series back for a new generation."

It's the first time Elle has narrated an audio book and she admitted she found the workload a lot more "challenging" than she thought it would be.

She added: "I didn't realise how challenging it would be. You want each line to be perfect. We did a book a day, so you have to be very dedicated in that moment."