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Dano, who grew up in New Canaan, turns 32 on Sunday. The actor and producer was born June 19, 1984, in New York City.
At age 10, Dano was noted for roles in classical plays on Broadway, making his debut at age 12 in a revival of "Inherit the Wind." He appeared in an episode of the sitcom "Smart Guy" and a minor role in the 2000 family drama "The Newcomers."
Dano acted in his first major film role when he was 17, playing the character of Howie Blitzer in "L.I.E." (2001).
He then appeared in the TV movie "Too Young to Be a Dad" as a high school student. He came to greater attention in 2006, when he played a voluntarily mute teenager as part of an ensemble in the comedic drama "Little Miss Sunshine," which received critical acclaim and collective awards for its cast.
Rolling Stone magazine included Dano in its Hot List for 2007, calling his performance style "Daniel Day-Lewis + Billy Crudup × Johnny Depp."
He also has appeared in films such as "The Girl Next Door" (2004), "There Will Be Blood" (2007), "Gigantic" (2008), "Meek's Cutoff" (2010), "Cowboys & Aliens" (2011), "Looper" (2012), "Being Flynn" (2012), "Ruby Sparks" (2012), "Prisoners" (2013), and "12 Years a Slave" (2013).
He appeared in several additional Broadway productions, including "A Month in the Country," "A Thousand Clowns" at the Roundabout Theatre, and in the Ethan Hawke directorial debut "Things We Want" during its 2007 Off-Broadway run.
Dano is also a vocalist and lead guitar player in his band Mook.
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