Paul Dano Opens up About His Inspiration and Upcoming Role in ‘Youth’

Sandra Miska

Actor Paul Dano stars alongside legends Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel in Paolo Sorrentino’s “Youth,” playing jaded movie star Jimmy Tree. Dano has had memorable roles in films such as “Little Miss Sunshine,” “There Will Be Blood” and “12 Years a Slave.” He most recently played tortured musical genius Brian Wilson as a young man in “Love & Mercy,” a role for which he has received much praise. At only 31 years of age, Dano is well on his way to achieving the career success and longevity that his two illustrious “Youth” co-stars enjoy.

Dano sat down with Entertainment Voice to talk about “Youth,” working with Caine and Keitel, and what it was like to portray an actor preparing to play a certain evil WWII dictator.

What attracted you to this role?

Well, first, I got the script and it was Paolo, whom I was a fan of. I met Paolo at the Oscars when “12 Years a Slave” was there and “The Great Beauty” was there. He called about a month later, and it was like, “Oh, that’s sooner than I thought.” And Michael was involved, and Harvey, so I was super excited to read the script. Jimmy Tree, first of all, starting with the name, Jimmy Tree, that’s a f**king great name. So, you know, right away I was excited. I guess I liked the idea of playing an actor who is not like myself. I wondered honestly what it would be like if I had grown up in L.A. and was thrown into being a movie star and had an image, and an idea of myself, and a certain sense of vanity. What would it be like if I was in here talking to you and was wearing sunglasses right now? You couldn’t see my eyes. I couldn’t to that. Right here, right now, I would feel silly. But he does it. Even on the first scene of Jimmy Tree, Paolo’s details are really great, and I was like, “I’d love to step inside that skin.”

How did you prepare for the role?

I went shopping, right away. I needed to buy nicer clothes and find a necklace that I liked, and some sunglasses and get a hat. What’s it like to be in my coffee shop in New York? What does wearing a leather boot make me feel, as opposed to my sneakers? One of the things that I related to, and I’ve seen it in other people, because I’ve been doing this for a while, is just how sometimes you don’t feel totally seen or you feel misunderstood, or I feel like he felt he had more to offer. All that anybody was seeing was this robot franchise, you know?

Do you know people like Jimmy in Hollywood? Did you have a real person in mind?

No. I definitely (for fun) looked through a history of music stars and tried to sort of see, you know, is there a certain vibe, or a look, or a tone of voice, or a mannerism? I didn’t model one person or try to mimic anybody. It was more just creating a character in an atmosphere and like Jimmy does to the other characters, can I take something from different people?

Did you identify with Jimmy at all?

Yeah, for sure. I definitely feel like we’re different people, but I did. I liked that he was going to play this extreme part, just to try and prove something, and I think he learns that that’s not what he needs to do. I think he’s still figuring out what he wants, what he needs, who he is as an artist. I feel like that’s something we’ll all do for the rest of our lives.  Jimmy’s sort of studying everything, taking it in. I feel that way a bit myself. I feel like I’m a quiet person and I can sit there and just kind of absorb.

How were those scenes in which he goes method for that extreme role? What was it like to film those?

That was interesting. It was a very strange thing to do – for me to dress up like that. I mean, it’s bizarre. I talked to Paolo a lot about that and Paolo came up with this scene that I have with Harvey Keitel afterwards where I sort of say, “Maybe this isn’t for me.” I have something else to offer. And he’s talking about his desire. So my own feelings about dressing up like that and sort of existential thoughts found their way into the film. Once I accepted it and got into it, it ended up being kind of fun, weirdly, to sit at that breakfast table and have everyone staring at me dressed like that. But it was an intimidating thing to do.

Did it take a while to film that scene at breakfast?

Yeah, it did. The makeup and the process of actually getting into it took a long time. Every now and then acting is a fever dream, or something, or a twilight zone. As I’m sitting here now, it’s hard to think I did that. It’s almost like a separate reality somewhere. …I was really happy when we saw it at Cannes with an audience for the first time and people actually laughed. I think it worked, but it felt like a risk.

I know you never did a robot movie like Jimmy, but do you have a role that people recognize you from all the time?

Yeah, but I feel like it’s changed. Honestly, sometimes, it depends what’s playing on TV. All of a sudden a couple weeks will go by and people will be coming up to me about a certain movie that was maybe five years ago or something, and I’d be like, “What’s going on?” And then everybody’s like, “Oh, yeah, it’s on HBO right now.” So, “There Will Be Blood,” a lot of people recognize me from. And “Little Miss Sunshine” I still get a lot. Right now I’m getting a lot of “Love & Mercy” love, and that’s great. I think it’s more cyclical.

How was it filming in Switzerland?

It was very beautiful. We were filming at this spa and I researched the spa and I was like, “Oh, cool. I’ll get to go to all these steam rooms and spas and all that.” And when we got there it was the off-season and the hotel was closed, which was why we were allowed to film there, because the spa wasn’t open. It was more like “The Shining.”

They wouldn’t open it for you guys?

They kind of did eventually but at first there was no food or drink in the hotel. It was like this big, empty place. You know, I was with a nice group of people and we were in a beautiful place and we filmed on location, literally. We stayed at the hotel that our characters were staying at and where we were filming, so it was a very cozy experience. We were all there together every day and every night.

You must’ve gotten to know each other very well, at least better than you would’ve on another set.

Michael Caine and his wife Shakira are so lovely and they were like grandparents to me. They would take me out to dinner, buy me food and wine, tell me stories. It was nice.

You’ve worked with a lot of great actors, such as Daniel Day-Lewis, Steve Carell and Tom Cruise. What was unique about working with Michael and Harvey?

Everybody’s different, which is kind of amazing to see because you do realize it’s to each his own. I think what was really beautiful about them was that they’re still very vital, and they still are working and searching. They didn’t show up and just say their lines. They cared about the film. They really liked Paolo. They loved that they were getting to do this film. They still had a passion for it. I think Michael was 82 while we filmed, but he was beautiful, a beautiful actor. He was happy in his work, happy in his life. It was just very beautiful to watch them still be so vital, to care, and to find pleasure in it.

Do you see yourself taking on roles like that when you’re 80?

I have no clue. I like some of the unknowns. I feel like it’s probably a good thing. I hope to be as happy as they are. I think I’ll be doing this for a while, so, yeah.

What was unique about working with Paolo? I know this was one of his first English-language films. What was that experience like?

Paolo was great, and we got along great. His writing was beautiful, and you know that he is bringing something that you can’t see, and you have to just trust him, and sometimes there was specific things that he was looking for, but he also gave me a lot of space to create in and do my thing, so we got along great.

You’ve produced as well as acted. Do you ever think about going into directing or writing?

Yeah, I’ll definitely try to make a film. I’ve always wanted to, and I love film, and I think that’s why I try to work with certain people. I just love the process and I love all the elements of it: the camera and the sounds and the music. It informs me as an actor. I love knowing about the process, and I will try to do that at some point.

You have a lot of projects coming up. Can you tell us what we can look forward to?

Paul Dano: After “Youth” comes out the next thing I’ll be in is “War and Peace.” It’s a six-hour miniseries from BBC and the Weinstein Company. We filmed that this past year. I did six months in Russia, Latvia and Lithuania. That’s a big piece of material, a beautiful book. And I have a beautiful character in it named Pierre. I think that comes out here in [January]. So that’s soon. …It’s going to be on A&E, History and Lifetime. All three of them are playing it.

“Youth” opens in select theaters Dec. 4.