During a recent episode of The Late Late Show with James Corden, Paul Dano shared a funny and heartwarming story about his first meeting with legendary director Steven Spielberg. The Golden Globe-winning actor revealed that he was sitting next to Spielberg at the awards ceremony and even shared a photo of the two of them.
In the photo, Spielberg can be seen holding up his phone, leading Corden to ask Dano if he was videoing or taking a photo. Dano explained that they were actually sending a video to Spielberg’s wife, who couldn’t attend the event. Apparently, the Spielberg family has a tradition of sending videos to each other, and Dano and Spielberg had become close during the filming of their latest project.
The talk then shifted to Dano’s recent wedding. Corden asked how stressful it was to plan the wedding, to which Dano revealed that he and his husband are terrible party planners. In fact, they had changed wedding locations multiple times before finally deciding to tie the knot in New Orleans, where Dano happened to be shooting a show at the time. They even invited actress Jennifer Coolidge via text the night before the wedding, and she happily attended.
But the excitement doesn’t end there for Dano and his partner, actress Zoe Kazan. They recently welcomed their second child into the world. Dano humorously described the transition from having a pet to owning a zoo with two kids. Despite the sleepless nights, he expressed his happiness and gratitude for their growing family.
Switching gears, Corden then turned the spotlight on Dano’s co-star in their latest film, Alexandra Shipp. Corden brought up a funny anecdote from Shipp’s early acting career, revealing that she had once auditioned for a Got Milk campaign. However, the commercial never made it to air because it required the young actors to make out after having milk and chocolate syrup in their mouths. Shipp amusingly admitted that she was just excited to kiss a boy at the time.
The conversation then circled back to Dano and his recent film, “The Fabelmans.” The movie is based on Spielberg’s own upbringing and follows a young boy’s discovery of his passion for filmmaking. Dano plays a significant role in the film, and he described it as a beautiful and heartfelt story. He also shared how emotional Spielberg was during the making of the movie, as it touched on themes of family and loss, mirroring Spielberg’s own experiences.
Dano recalled that even during their initial Zoom meeting, he could see the grief in Spielberg’s eyes following the passing of his father. It allowed Dano to connect with the director on a deeper level and see him as a person beyond his iconic status. There were many days on set when Dano and his co-star Michelle Williams would offer support and comfort to Spielberg, who often shed tears behind his mask.
Dano also humorously shared his preparation for the Zoom meeting with Spielberg. Living with his in-laws at the time due to pandemic-related circumstances, he went from room to room trying to find the perfect background and even gave himself a clean-shaven look. Little did he know, he didn’t even know what the film was about until Spielberg revealed it during the meeting. Dano admitted to feeling a bit disappointed initially, but in the end, Spielberg offered him the role and expressed his confidence that Dano would make his late father proud.
“The Fabelmans” has already received critical acclaim, with two Golden Globe wins and additional nominations pouring in. The film explores Spielberg’s personal life, his love for movies, and the impact of his parents’ divorce. It’s an intimate and heartfelt story that allows audiences to see a different side of the revered filmmaker.
As Dano continues to make waves in the entertainment industry, both as a talented actor and a loving family man, fans eagerly await his future projects and the incredible performances he consistently delivers. And with Spielberg’s stamp of approval, it’s clear that Dano’s star will only continue to rise.
