Jason Patric

Paul Franklin Dano is an American actor and director. Born in New York City to Gladys and Paul A. Dano, he has a sister named Sarah. His childhood and adolescence were spent in Connecticut and New York. He began performing in theater at a very young age. At 17, he landed his first major film role in the independent film *L.I.E.*, playing Howie Blitzer, which brought him recognition. In the 2006 film *Little Miss Sunshine*, he played Dwayne, a Nietzsche-loving teenager who vows silence until he achieves his dream of becoming a jet pilot. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won two Oscars. He appeared in Paul Thomas Anderson's 2007 film *There Will Be Blood*, playing Eli and Paul Sunday. The film was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture, and Dano was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor. His career continued with films such as *12 Years a Slave*, *Prisoners*, *Youth*, and *Swiss Army Man*. In the 2017 film *Okja*, he played Jay, the head of an animal rights activist group. In 2018, he made his feature film directorial debut with *Wildlife*. He began a relationship with actress Zoe Kazan in 2007 and they have a daughter born in 2018.