Preach for the Stars

Talking with There Will Be Blood's Paul Dano.

by Sam Adams

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Published: Jan 2, 2008

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Being cast opposite Daniel Day-Lewis is a prospect equally thrilling and terrifying for a young actor — more so the latter when the casting occurs a few days before shooting begins, which is what happened to Paul Dano on There Will Be Blood. Originally cast for a one-scene part, Dano found himself elevated at the last minute into the role of frontier preacher Eli Sunday, the major antagonist to Day-Lewis' rapacious oilman. (Director Paul Thomas Anderson rewrote his script to account for the fact that Dano's characters had suddenly become twin brothers.)

"I couldn't really afford to get nervous or second-guess myself," Dano says. "I just had to dive in headfirst and use all the animal instincts I had. I think Eli is a guy who operates on that level. He's very smart, but not book-smart. Or I tried to make it that way."

Arguably more distinctive than Day-Lewis' budding baron, Dano's preacher is a quivering, nervy sort, a marked departure from the onscreen tradition of fire-breathing holy rollers. In front of his congregation, he's a twisting live wire, but offstage his bravado is brittle, as if he's stepped into shoes a few sizes too big.

"Eli is a guy who made himself up," Dano says. "He invented himself. Maybe he saw a few preachers who came to town, but otherwise I think his curiosity and savviness and charisma sort of manifested itself into something once he saw what it could do for him. He is very much an actor. He created a persona for himself, and I think he sort of gets lost in that over time."

Dano declines to say whether Eli is a true believer or a self-aware charlatan; it's clear he's pondered the issue, but he feels that the ambiguity is part of the movie's power. "I do think he's the kind of guy who isn't sure of himself," is as far as he'll go. "When you get so wrapped up in it, and ego and arrogance come into it — maybe you really are worshipping God, but at a certain point, you want people to be worshipping you. I'm not sure he knows how to be sincere." He starts to elaborate, but holds himself in check. "I certainly had ideas about it, but I don't want to say what I thought it was. I think it's best left a mystery."

(s_adams@citypaper.net)

 

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