- Daniel Day-Lewis was so impressed by his work in the film The Ballad of Jack and Rose (2005) that he suggested him to Paul Thomas Anderson for the role of Paul Sunday in the film There Will Be Blood (2007).
- He has appeared in four films that have been nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Little Miss Sunshine (2006), There Will Be Blood (2007), 12 Years a Slave (2013) and The Fabelmans (2022). 12 Years a Slave won in the category.
- Packed on 20 lbs. of muscle to play real-life convicted murderer and escapee David Sweat in the TV series Escape at Dannemora (2018).
- Matt Reeves wrote his part of The Riddler in The Batman (2022) with him in mind.
- Made his Broadway debut at the age of 12 in "Inherit The Wind" opposite George C. Scott and Charles Durning.
- Lead guitar and vocals in the band Mook, based out of Wilton, Connecticut.
- Paul's paternal grandparents, John Dano and Anna Herzo, were both from Rusyn/Carpathian families that immigrated to Scranton, Pennsylvania. Paul's mother is of Slovenian/Bohemian Czech descent on one side and Swedish descent on the other.
- Father is a financial advisor, mother is a homemaker.
- Has worked with five directors that have won a Best Director Oscar: Ang Lee, Bong Joon-ho, Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan, and Steven Spielberg.
- He has appeared in one film that has been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant: 12 Years a Slave (2013).
- Was ranked #5 on Entertainment Weekly's 30 Under 30, the Actors List. (2008)
- He and Billy Kay were already friends at the time L.I.E. (2001) was filmed, having worked together on an earlier film, (The Newcomers (2000)).
- No relation to actor Royal Dano.
- Graduated from high school on 22 June 2002.
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