Paul Dano

 

I only know the actor Paul Dano by his work on the screen. I've never listened to or read an interview with him. Still, he strikes me as grounded and disciplined, his own creation, the result of years of reflection and self-assessment.

Dano seems to know his instrument -- body (lanky, non-descript), face (pudgy, oval), voice (shrill, grating) -- and what best suits it. Ironically, he strikes me as supremely sane even though he gravitates toward characters that are not.

I first noticed him in Little Miss Sunshine (2006), a film in which he played an electively mute boy. He was great. The other day I was thrilled (and chilled) by his portayal of The Riddler in The Batman. And among his work in between, There Will Be Blood (2007), 12 Years a Slave (2013), Love and Mercy (2014), Swiss Army Man (2016). I have since learned he appeared in 2001's L.I.E., a disturbing, challenging movie I've seen but don't remember his being in.

If even part of what I surmise about the young actor is true, he's a model of brand cultivation. A highly identifiable and bankable asset for any film he's attached to, any project he chooses, which quite likely will ensure him a long career, like many other splendid character actors who don't often get leading roles.

Maybe a healthy, grounded self-concept is all you need for success.