Paul Dano has never been an actor who courts controversy. Dano addressed the moment while attending a 20th anniversary screening of Little Miss Sunshine at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Before Dano could respond, however, his Little Miss Sunshine co-star Toni Collette jumped in with an unfiltered defense. As Sundance celebrated the enduring impact of Little Miss Sunshine, the consensus in the room was clear. Paul Dano didn’t need to defend himself — because his work, and his community, already had.