Paul Dano

Paul Franklin Dano was born on June 19, 1984, and 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 critical acclaim for his portrayal of 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 been recognized for his roles as John Tibeats in Steve McQueen's *12 Years a Slave* (2013) and Alex Jones in Denis Villeneuve's *Prisoners* (2013). His 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*.