Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan have been together since 2007. The couple met as theatre co-stars and have built a private life in New York. They frequently collaborate on acclaimed indie films as actors and writers.
2007: Meeting on an Off-Broadway Stage
The couple crossed paths in 2007 while starring in the Off-Broadway play Things We Want, directed by Ethan Hawke. Dano was riding high on the success of Little Miss Sunshine (2006), while Kazan was a rising playwright. Kazan later revealed to W Magazine that they shared their first kiss on stage before kissing in real life. In November 2007, they made a cosy joint appearance at the play's opening night party.
2008: Public Debut
Dano and Kazan officially made their first joint public appearance on 24 January 2008, walking the red carpet for the Broadway play Come Back, Little Sheba, in which Kazan was starring.
2010: Moving In Together and Co-Starring in Meek's Cutoff
By 2010, the couple reached new personal and professional milestones. Kazan moved into Dano's tiny New York studio flat. Speaking to The Guardian, Kazan later joked that sharing a studio with no walls was a terrible idea. That same year, they co-starred in Kelly Reichardt's historical drama Meek's Cutoff, playing a young couple travelling the Oregon Trail.
2012: Ruby Sparks – A Creative Peak
On 25 July 2012, the couple reached a major creative peak with Ruby Sparks. Kazan wrote the romantic comedy-drama specifically with Dano in mind for the lead role. In an interview with The New York Times, Dano said: 'For me, the best thing Zoe did was not write a film about our relationship or write us as characters... Calvin and Ruby are Calvin and Ruby; they're not Paul and Zoe.' Dano also served as executive producer. Kazan noted that writing the film helped her navigate the reality of their real-life partnership.
2014–2016: High-Profile Events
Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan attended the 20th Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles on 18 January 2014, where Dano won Best Movie Cast for Birdman. The couple took their low-key romance to the international stage on 20 May 2015, attending the Cannes Film Festival together for Dano's role in Youth. On 10 January 2016, they dressed up for the Golden Globes, and the next month, they went to the Vanity Fair Oscar Party together.
2018: Writing Wildlife and Welcoming Their First Child
Together, they wrote the drama Wildlife, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan. The film marked Dano's directorial debut. They spent years passing the script back and forth to edit each other's work. In August 2018, Kazan gave birth to their daughter, Alma Bay. They kept the pregnancy private. Dano later confirmed the news on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, describing himself as 'exhausted and deeply in love'.
2020: Navigating Work and Parenting
Kazan often highlights the importance of childcare for working parents. In January 2020, she publicly thanked her caregivers on social media. Later that year, she spoke to WHYY's Fresh Air about the complex reality of acting while raising a newborn during a pandemic. She stated: 'My baby was about six months old when I started filming. It [was] really complicated for me, because my body had become totally at the behest of my child.' On 15 July 2020, she posted on X (Twitter) about balancing motherhood and a career amid the COVID-19 pandemic: 'I don't feel like I have much to say here right now but I do want to reach my arms out to every parent with small kids trying to work from home in these last months. If hugging were allowed, I'd hug you all.'
2022: Welcoming Their Second Child
In late October 2022, the couple welcomed their second child. Kazan quietly debuted her baby bump at the New York Film Festival weeks earlier. She eventually confirmed the birth on the Today show while promoting her film She Said:'Three weeks ago, our second child [was born].'
2023–Present: Continuing to Support Each Other
In January 2023, Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan stepped out for the Critics' Choice Awards together, one of their biggest events after their second child was born. Kazan shared a beautiful red-carpet photo of the couple on Instagram. The next month, they also went to the SAG Awards together. Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan continue to thrive in their careers while raising their two children. The couple resides in Brooklyn, New York.
