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

• 2027Possession
• 2026Bunker — Andrew
• 2026Sia: Nostalgic for the Present
• 2026The Wizard of the Kremlin — Vadim Baranov
• The Studio — Paul Dano
• Fantasmas — Jeff
• Mr. & Mrs. Smith — Hot Neighbor
• 2024Spaceman — Hanuš (voice)
• 2024The Apprentice — Thanks
• 2023Dumb Money — Keith Gill
• Pantheon — Caspian Keyes (voice)
• 2022The Batman — The Riddler
• 2022The Fabelmans — Burt Fabelman
• 2021The Guilty — Matthew Fontenot (voice)
• 2020The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America — Prior Walter
• Escape at Dannemora — David Sweat
• 2018Wildlife — Screenplay, Director, Producer
• 2017Okja — Jay
• 2016Swiss Army Man — Hank
• War and Peace — Pierre Bezukhov
• 2015Love & Mercy — Brian Wilson 1960s
• 2015Youth — Jimmy Tree
• 201312 Years a Slave — John Tibeats
• 2013Prisoners — Alex Jones
• 2012Being Flynn — Nick Flynn
• 2012Flatscreen — Paul
• 2012For Ellen — Joby Taylor, Executive Producer
• 2012Looper — Seth
• 2012Ruby Sparks — Calvin, Executive Producer
• 2011Cowboys & Aliens — Percy Dolarhyde
• 2011Meek's Cutoff — Thomas Gately
• 2010Knight and Day — Simon Feck
• 2010The Extra Man — Louis Ives
• 2009Taking Woodstock — VW Guy
• 2009The Good Heart — Lucas
• 2009Where the Wild Things Are — Alexander (voice)
• 2008Explicit Ills — Rocco
• 2008Gigantic — Brian, Executive Producer
• 2008Light and the Sufferer — Don (AKA: Light)
• 2007There Will Be Blood — Paul Sunday / Eli Sunday
• 2007Weapons — Chris
• 2006Fast Food Nation — Brian
• 2006Little Miss Sunshine — Dwayne Hoover
• 2006The King — Paul
• 2005The Ballad of Jack and Rose — Thaddius
• 2004Taking Lives — Young Asher
• 2004The Girl Next Door — Klitz
• 2002The Emperor's Club — Martin Blythe
• 2002Too Young to Be a Dad — Matt Freeman
• 2001L.I.E. — Howie Blitzer
• 2000The Newcomers — Joel
• The Sopranos — Patrick Whaley
• Smart Guy — Nicholas
• Sensei Rainbow and the Dojo Kids — Paul
• The Chaperones
• Untitled Paul Dano Comedy Film — Writer, Director, Producer
• Vegas: A Love Story — Ryder

Appearances as themselves (17)

• 2023A Journey Home: The Story of Sahaya Vietnam — Self - Narrator
• 2023The Fabelmans: A Family in Film — Self
• 2022The Batman: Unpacking the Icons — Himself
• Hot Ones — Self
• The Late Late Show with James Corden — Self, Self - Guest
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert — Self
• Late Night with Seth Meyers — Self, Self - Guest
• Off Camera with Sam Jones — Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon — Self
• Variety Studio: Actors on Actors — Self
• Clique — Self - Guest
• 2007The Manufacturing of 'Fast Food Nation' — Self
• Jimmy Kimmel Live! — Self - Guest
• The Daily Show — Self - Guest
• Saturday Night Live — Self - Cameo (uncredited)
• The Oscars — Self
• Golden Globe Awards — Self - Audience Member