Paul Dano

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.

Known For

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Late Night with Seth Meyers

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Daily Show

The Sopranos

Saturday Night Live

The Late Late Show with James Corden

The Late Late Show with James Corden

All Movies (47)

• Sia: Nostalgic for the Present2026
• The Wizard of the Kremlin2026 · as Vadim Baranov
• Spaceman2024 · as Hanuš (voice)
• Dumb Money2023 · as Keith Gill
• A Journey Home: The Story of Sahaya Vietnam2023 · as Self - Narrator
• The Fabelmans: A Family in Film2023 · as Self
• The Fabelmans2022 · as Burt Fabelman
• The Batman2022 · as The Riddler
• The Guilty2021 · as Matthew Fontenot (voice)
• The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America2020 · as Prior Walter
• Okja2017 · as Jay
• Swiss Army Man2016 · as Hank
• Love & Mercy2015 · as Brian Wilson 1960s
• Youth2015 · as Jimmy Tree
• 12 Years a Slave2013 · as John Tibeats
• Prisoners2013 · as Alex Jones
• Looper2012 · as Seth
• Ruby Sparks2012 · as Calvin
• Being Flynn2012 · as Nick Flynn
• For Ellen2012 · as Joby Taylor
• Flatscreen2012 · as Paul
• Cowboys & Aliens2011 · as Percy Dolarhyde
• Meek's Cutoff2011 · as Thomas Gately
• The Extra Man2010 · as Louis Ives
• Knight and Day2010 · as Simon Feck
• Where the Wild Things Are2009 · as Alexander (voice)
• The Good Heart2009 · as Lucas
• Taking Woodstock2009 · as VW Guy
• Gigantic2008 · as Brian
• Light and the Sufferer2008 · as Don (AKA: Light)
• Explicit Ills2008 · as Rocco
• There Will Be Blood2007 · as Paul Sunday / Eli Sunday
• The Manufacturing of 'Fast Food Nation'2007 · as Self
• Weapons2007 · as Chris
• Fast Food Nation2006 · as Brian
• Little Miss Sunshine2006 · as Dwayne Hoover
• The King2006 · as Paul
• The Ballad of Jack and Rose2005 · as Thaddius
• The Girl Next Door2004 · as Klitz
• Taking Lives2004 · as Young Asher
• The Emperor's Club2002 · as Martin Blythe
• Too Young to Be a Dad2002 · as Matt Freeman
• L.I.E.2001 · as Howie Blitzer
• The Newcomers2000 · as Joel
• The Chaperones—
• Bunker—
• Vegas: A Love Story— · as Ryder

All TV Shows (22)

• The Studio2025 · as Paul Dano
• Fantasmas2024 · as Jeff
• Mr. & Mrs. Smith2024 · as Hot Neighbor
• Pantheon2022 · as Caspian Keyes (voice)
• Escape at Dannemora2018 · as David Sweat
• War and Peace2016 · as Pierre Bezukhov
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self
• The Late Late Show with James Corden2015 · as Self
• The Late Late Show with James Corden2015 · as Self - Guest
• Hot Ones2015 · as Self
• Variety Studio: Actors on Actors2014 · as Self
• Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2014 · as Self
• Off Camera with Sam Jones2014 · as Self
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self
• The Sopranos1999 · as Patrick Whaley
• Smart Guy1997 · as Nicholas
• The Daily Show1996 · as Self - Guest
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Cameo (uncredited)
• The Oscars1953 · as Self
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Audience Member
• Sensei Rainbow and the Dojo Kids— · as Paul