Paul Dano
Acting • Born 1984-06-19
Biography
Paul Franklin Dano (born June 19, 1984) is an American actor. He began his career on Broadway before making his film debut in The Newcomers (2000). He won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance for his role in L.I.E. (2001) and received accolades for his role as Dwayne Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine (2006). For his dual roles as Paul and Eli Sunday in Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood (2007), he was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor. Dano has also received accolades for roles such as John Tibeats in Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave (2013) and Alex Jones in Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners (2013). His acting portrayal of musician Brian Wilson in Love & Mercy (2014) earned him a Golden Globe nomination in the category of Best Supporting Actor. Dano made his directorial debut with the drama film Wildlife (2018), based on the novel by Richard Ford. He co-wrote the screenplay with his partner Zoe Kazan. In 2018, he starred in the Showtime miniseries Escape at Dannemora, for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. In 2022, he played Edward Nashton / The Riddler in The Batman.
Filmography
67 credits
Little Miss Sunshine
Movie • 2006
Dwayne Hoover
The Girl Next Door
Movie • 2004
Klitz
Explicit Ills
Movie • 2008
Rocco
The Good Heart
Movie • 2009
Lucas
There Will Be Blood
Movie • 2007
Paul Sunday / Eli Sunday
Taking Woodstock
Movie • 2009
VW Guy
Gigantic
Movie • 2008
Brian
Weapons
Movie • 2007
Chris
Knight and Day
Movie • 2010
Simon Feck
Where the Wild Things Are
Movie • 2009
Alexander (voice)
The Ballad of Jack and Rose
Movie • 2005
Thaddius
The Extra Man
Movie • 2010
Louis Ives
L.I.E.
Movie • 2001
Howie Blitzer
Cowboys & Aliens
Movie • 2011
Percy Dolarhyde
For Ellen
Movie • 2012
Joby Taylor
Meek's Cutoff
Movie • 2011
Thomas Gately
12 Years a Slave
Movie • 2013
John Tibeats
Looper
Movie • 2012
Seth
Being Flynn
Movie • 2012
Nick Flynn
Ruby Sparks
Movie • 2012
Calvin
Too Young to Be a Dad
Movie • 2002
Matt Freeman
Prisoners
Movie • 2013
Alex Jones
The Newcomers
Movie • 2000
Joel
The Manufacturing of 'Fast Food Nation'
Movie • 2007
Self
Light and the Sufferer
Movie • 2008
Don (AKA: Light)
Love & Mercy
Movie • 2015
Brian Wilson 1960s
The Fabelmans: A Family in Film
Movie • 2023
Self
Dumb Money
Movie • 2023
Keith Gill
The King
Movie • 2006
Paul
Taking Lives
Movie • 2004
Young Asher
Youth
Movie • 2015
Jimmy Tree
Swiss Army Man
Movie • 2016
Hank
The Wizard of the Kremlin
Movie • 2026
Vadim Baranov
The Emperor's Club
Movie • 2002
Martin Blythe
Okja
Movie • 2017
Jay
Fast Food Nation
Movie • 2006
Brian
The Batman
Movie • 2022
The Riddler
Flatscreen
Movie • 2012
Paul
The Guilty
Movie • 2021
Matthew Fontenot (voice)
The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America
Movie • 2020
Prior Walter
The Fabelmans
Movie • 2022
Burt Fabelman
Spaceman
Movie • 2024
Hanuš (voice)
A Journey Home: The Story of Sahaya Vietnam
Movie • 2023
Self - Narrator
The Chaperones
Movie
Bunker
Movie
Vegas: A Love Story
Movie
Ryder
War and Peace
TV • 2016
Pierre Bezukhov
The Late Late Show with James Corden
TV • 2015
Self
The Late Late Show with James Corden
TV • 2015
Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
TV • 2014
Self
Escape at Dannemora
TV • 2018
David Sweat
Late Night with Seth Meyers
TV • 2014
Self
The Sopranos
TV • 1999
Patrick Whaley
Pantheon
TV • 2022
Caspian Keyes (voice)
Sensei Rainbow and the Dojo Kids
TV
Paul
Smart Guy
TV • 1997
Nicholas
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
TV • 2003
Self
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
TV • 2014
Self
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
TV • 2024
Hot Neighbor
Saturday Night Live
TV • 1975
Self - Cameo (uncredited)
Hot Ones
TV • 2015
Self
Fantasmas
TV • 2024
Jeff
Off Camera with Sam Jones
TV • 2014
Self
The Oscars
TV • 1953
Self
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
TV • 2015
Self
The Studio
TV • 2025
Paul Dano
Golden Globe Awards
TV • 1944
Self - Audience Member