PAUL DANO RIDES HIS RANGE--FROM MINIBUS TO PULPIT TO NEW YORK MATTRESS EMPORIUM

Chameleon Paul Dano triumphed as a vulnerable wannabe-mute in "Little Miss Sunshine" (with Abigail Breslin, above) and the thunderous preacher who made the mistake of humiliating oil baron Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood." For details on Dano's latest "gigantic" step, see below.

GIGANTIC, starring Paul Dano, Zooey Deschanel, John Goodman and Jane Alexander. Directed by Matt Aselton; Written by Matt Aselton and Adam Nagata; Presented by Killer Films and Epoch Films

Lots of warm-hearted, noble-intentioned folks yearn to adopt a child from China. But very few exhibit less parental potential than Brian, a New York mattress merchant who also harbors delusional dreams of a sleep-in relationship with Harriett, a red-hot Manhattanite. Will Brian get the girl and the baby, too, in the end? Possibly, but first he must out-maneuver the maniacal homeless man who’s bent on terminating him.

Brian is being played by Paul Dano, who demonstrated his versatility as the semi-catatonic lad in “Little Miss Sunshine” and the bellowing religious fanatic in “There Will Be Blood.” Another bonus: the invariably wonderful Zooey Deschanel has been cast as Harriett. Opening date to be announced

THE DATA ON DANO

BORN
WILTON, CONNECTICUT, 6/19/84

FILM DEBUT
THE NEWCOMERS (2000)

CAREER HIGHS
THERE WILL BE BLOOD; LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE; L.I.E.; FAST FOOD NATION; THE BALLAD OF JACK AND ROSE; THE KING; THE EMPEROR’S CLUB

CAREER LOWS
LIGHT AND THE SUFFERER; THE GIRL NEXT DOOR; TAKING LIVES

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