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Top 5 Paul Dano Performances


Actor. Father. Husband. Thespian. Freak. The internet has come to know and love him as the Riddler in The Batman (2022), but Paul Dano's impressive filmography contains many more noteworthy performances.


5 . Ruby Sparks (2012)


Written and directed by his own wife, Zoe Kazan, Ruby Sparks is the definition of a quirky indie movie featuring a manic pixie dream girl. Dano's character plays a troubled author who writes his dream girlfriend to life. One thing about Dano is he will play a sad, pathetic character right! Don't let the mixed reviews deter you from watching this movie; it is extremely fun and spunky and has a killer indie-pop soundtrack that perfectly matches the natural chemistry between Kazan and Dano.


4 . Okja (2017)


In what may be his best action movie, Dano reprises his role of playing an absolute freak in this pro-animal rights film that follows the adventure of a little girl and her pet super pig. As the seemingly calm and collected leader of an extremist animal rights group, Dano shows what true crazy looks like as he expresses his character's obsessive and controlling love through sincerity in his voice, facial expressions, and body language. The only way to describe this character's portrayal is raw passion and fury, which is quite impressive considering these feelings were towards a massive CGI pig.


3 . The Batman (2022)


He played a freak. I was not let down. Dano was perfectly cast. His character, the Riddler, made me want to crawl out of my skin. No other notes.


2 . Swiss Army Man


Dano teams up with Daniel Radcliffe (who plays a dead body) in a visually beautiful movie about friendship and self-reflection. Seemingly playing an average man in a tough survival situation, Dano explores the limits of reality and consciousness while keeping it light-hearted and relatable. Maybe it's his eyes and droopy eyebrows but Dano effortlessly displays any character in a melancholic tone. Dano and Radcliffe's quirky and awkward characters paired with a soundtrack scored by the actors themselves make this performance a depressing, hilarious, and uplifting experience. Dano finds himself in any dark comedy, especially where he cross-dresses and befriends decaying corpses.


1 . Little Miss Sunshine


It is truly Dano's most genuine and real performance. Portraying a teenage boy who has taken a vow of silence upon reading Nietzsche. Anyone who has suffered through their teenage years can relate to his angsty character. Delivering one of the most realistic portrayals of despair in a "feel-good" movie, Dano's character communicates teenage rage effortlessly, perhaps drawing inspiration from his own adolescence.


Honorable Mention: L. I. E.


Not that this movie itself is worth the watch, but including it was necessary as Dano was only 16 years old in this horribly depressing indie film about young boys exploring their sexuality. Dano approaches his character with a true sense of naivety, showcasing childlike wonder and the loss of innocence through his timid demeanor.

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