Trivia (14)

He and Billy Kay were already friends at the time L.I.E. (2001) was filmed, having worked together on an earlier film (The Newcomers (2000)).

Graduated from high school on June 22, 2002.

Lead guitar and vocals in the band Mook, based out of Wilton, Connecticut.

Daniel Day-Lewis was so impressed by his work in the film, The Ballad of Jack and Rose (2005), that he suggested him to Paul Thomas Anderson for the role of "Paul Sunday" in the film, There Will Be Blood (2007).

Was ranked #5 on Entertainment Weekly's '30 Under 30' the actors list. (2008).

Paul's paternal grandparents, John Dano and Anna Herzo, were both from Rusyn/Carpathian families that immigrated to Scranton, Pennsylvania. Paul's mother is of Slovenian/Bohemian Czech descent on one side and Swedish descent on the other.

As of 2023, has appeared in 4 films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Little Miss Sunshine (2006), There Will Be Blood (2007), 12 Years a Slave (2013), and The Fabelmans (2022). 12 Years a Slave (2013) won in the category.

In a long-term relationship with Zoe Kazan since 2007. They had a daughter together. They co-starred in Ruby Sparks (2012), which she wrote, and also co-wrote the screenplay for Wildlife (2018), which he directed.

Daughter Alma was born to Dano and his longtime partner Zoe Kazan in August 2018.

Packed on 20 lbs of muscle to play real-life convicted murderer and escapee David Sweat in the TV series Escape at Dannemora (2018).

Has a daughter, Alma Bay Dano (b. at the end of August 2018), with Zoe Kazan.

Matt Reeves wrote his part of The Riddler in The Batman (2022) with him in mind.

Made his Broadway debut at the age of 12 in Inherit The Wind opposite George C. Scott and Charles Durning.

Father is a financial advisor, mother is a homemaker.