(Credits: Lionsgate / Brian Wilson)
Thu 9 April 2026 17:13, UK
Paul Dano has opened up about his friendship with the late Brian Wilson.
Notably, Dano depicted Wilson’s likeness in the 2014 movie Love and Mercy, which brought them together and created a strong bond.
In a new interview with The Guardian, the actor was asked by a fan if he received any feedback from Wilson for his portrayal of The Beach Boys star in Love and Mercy.
Dano shared, “I spent a bunch of time with Brian before filming. If you asked him about the world, you might only get a little bit out of him. But if you asked about music, he’d light up.”
The Little Miss Sunshine actor went on, “I loved talking with him. I also got to sing with him and his touring band a few times, which was amazing.”
To make the experience more life-like, the scenes in which Dano starred were filmed in the studio where the band filmed their famous 1996 album, Pet Sounds.
Dano reminisced. “[Wilson] came on set, which was a trip. I didn’t get much feedback in terms of my performance – it was more getting to know each other and learning about his life.”
The 2014 American biographical drama directed by Bill Pohland was critically praised; while Dano played a younger Wilson, John Cusack played an older version of the musician, plagued by auditory hallucinations and depression.
Dano made the headlines recently, after Tarantino lashed out with unprecedented criticism of Dano’s role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood.
The Kill Bill director commented, “He is weak sauce, man. He’s a weak sister. Austin Butler would have been wonderful in that role. [Dano is] just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy. The weakest fucking actor in SAG [Screen Actors Guild].”
Thankfully, a vast majority of the industry came to Dano’s defence, so much so that Dano’s only response was, “I was incredibly grateful that the world spoke up for me so I didn’t have to.”
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