Even though Paul Dano has been working solidly for 20 years, starred in countless box office hits and acclaimed awards seasons favorites alike. Though he’s found some recognition in the process, he’s still regularly lauded as one of the most underrated and unsung character actors in the business.
The 37-year-old can always be relied on to deliver a strong performance regardless of how big his part or the genre of the project he appears in, but the blockbuster business has never really been his game. Sure, he gave a jittery supporting turn in Tom Cruise/Cameron Diaz vehicle Knight & Day and sci-fi Western Cowboys & Aliens a decade ago, but that’s been about it.
Of course, that all changes when The Batman roars into theaters next March, with Dano channeling the Zodiac killer as Edward Nashton, better known as the Riddler. Speaking to Empire, the movie’s big bad admitted that the DIY nature of the costume helped inform the way he approached the comic book icon.
“The costume was very intense. I think the potential DIY element you’re talking about was actually scarier to me than the more sophisticated or composed designs we might have played with. I found working with the costume to be very powerful. When you put on something like that, there’s a way to let it speak to you, and tell your body something. There’s a way to let it have a life of its own.”
While some of the more disparaging comparisons have compared the Riddler to a cross between Ted Cruz and a gimp, the footage has painted him as a terrifying protagonist for Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight. The Batman is shaping up to be something special, and Dano will be a huge part of that.
