When it comes to young actors, it's not so often that audiences see them with such acclaimed and prosperous careers like Paul Dano has had. From starring in independent dramas and comedies to multi-million dollar superhero blockbusters, it's clear that the actor is doing something right.
Ever since his debut in 2001's L.I.E., Dano has proven time and time again that he's capable of providing audiences with rich and layered performances that continue to sur expectations each time. He's one of Hollywood's most reliably interesting figures, and there's no denying that he has a huge career still ahead of him.
The Batman (2022) - 72
As the most recent film under Dano's best, it's surprising to see that it is already considered to be some of his greatest work. Matt Reeves' the Riddler is one of the greatest villains in Batman's film history.
In what may be Dano's most unpredictable and intimidating performance to date, he plays a violent anarchist who intends to tear down the upper elite of Gotham City from the inside, by bringing the inner-police corruption into the public eye. He plays an incredible villain, mixing just the right amounts of terror and empathy to ensnare an audience.
L.I.E (2001) - 73
In his cinematic debut, Dano played Howie Blitzer, a young boy who spends his life stealing from his neighbors to make up for the absence of company in his life. After attempting to steal from ex-marine Big John (Brian Cox), the two develop an unlikely and dangerous friendship.
L.I.E. naturally marked a huge turning point for Dano, and his strong performance in the lead role was a huge contributor to the actor's rise to fame within Hollywood. The scenes that he shares with Cox in this film are electric and truly allow the actor to explore some deep and thought-provoking ideas.
Okja (2017) - 75
Okja is a satirical sci-fi movie that centers around a young girl named Mija, whose best friend is a large animal named Okja. When Okja is taken by a multinational conglomerate, it's up to Mija to protect her friends from the ulterior motives of his new captors.
Paul Dano plays Jay, the leader of an animal rights activist group named ALF (Animal Liberation Front). He aids Mija in her quest to rescue Okja, believing that he is being mistreated by those who took him. Although this isn't the most dramatic or impressive role of Dano's career, it's still a fun one that audiences will connect to.
Wildlife (2018) - 80
Although Dano does not star in Wildlife, he acted as director, writer, and producer of the film. The story centers around the struggling marriage of Jerry (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Jeanette (Carey Mulligan), and the effect that this has on their son.
The film is adapted from a novel of the same name by Richard Ford, but it's clearly an important story that Dano felt compelled to tell, and he does it extremely well. He proves his talent both as a director and a writer, crafting a visually appealing film that does a great job of getting inside the minds of its characters.
Love and Mercy (2015) - 80
Love and Mercy is an inside look at the life of Beach Boys frontman Brian Wilson as he sets about creating his personal masterpiece, "Pet Sounds". The film then flashes forward twenty years and explores Wilson's life as he deals from mental illness.
Dano plays a young Wilson, and he does a great job of both embodying the lively youth of the character while also foreshadowing what he will go through later in life. It's not an easy role, and it's one that differs quite a bit from what was expected of Dano at the time, but he proved himself a perfect fit.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006) - 80
Little Miss Sunshine is often described as Paul Dano's breakout role, and while he'd ittedly been acting for a while before taking this part, there's no denying that it's Faris & Dayton's Oscar-winning indie drama that pushed him into stardom.
Dano played Dwayne Hoover, an angst-ridden teenager who'd taken an oath of silence and accompanied his family on a journey to California, where his sister is planning on competing in a beauty pageant. The film is an extremely tender and heartwarming family adventure that teaches audiences the importance of self-respect and confidence.
Looper (2012) - 84
Looper is undoubtedly one of the most inventive and original sci-fi adventures of the modern era, and a lot of that comes down to Rian Johnson's precise and intriguing screenplay. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis both play different versions of Joe, a time-traveler who has journeyed back in time to prevent his own death.
Paul Dano plays Young Seth, another character whose older version plays an integral part in the unraveling of Johnson's complex narrative. Looper is a film that truly makes the most out of its inventive premise, so it's no surprise that it's one of on IMDb, too.
Meek's Cutoff (2011) - 85
Meek's Cutoff is an intense western drama that follows the exploits of six settlers in the 1840s who get lost without food, water, or any way home. The only hope they have of finding water to survive comes from a Native American, who is captured by the settlers' leader.
Dano plays Thomas Gately, a member of the group of settlers striving to find salvation in the harsh desert. It's certainly an intense role, but Dano manages to flesh out his character by constantly grappling with his own mortality, and the implications this may have.
There Will Be Blood (2007) - 93
Paul Thomas Anderson's Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis), a ruthless oil prospector who becomes obsessed with monopolizing the oil industry, to the extent that he even manipulates his adopted son to get his own way.
Paul Dano plays both Paul and Eli Sunday, a pair of twins who get wrapped up in Plainview's exploits. By playing both characters, Dano truly proved his range as an actor and the diversity of roles that he's able to tackle. Even just sharing the screen with a veteran like Daniel Day-Lewis is a hard task, but Dano made it look easy.
12 Years A Slave (2013) - 96
In one of Paul Dano's most intense and terrifying roles to date, he plays plantation carpenter John Tibeats, a dangerous man who exploits a group of slaves for their labor. What makes this role stand out among the others is just how heartless and inhumane the character is, and Dano plays it with such raw authenticity that he's almost unrecognizable.
Tibeats' main role in the film is as an antagonist to Solomon Northup, the titular slave. The tension between the two characterizes most of Northup's time at the plantation until he eventually snaps and attacks Tibeats with his own whip in a thrillingly intense scene that still holds up perfectly several years later.
