By Tonisha Johnson

With the surprising success of Little Miss Sunshine actor Paul Dano is reeling from his new found fame. And unlike most actors who have to wait years before getting the chance to be apart of something historic that may or may not change the lives of many but surely will impact it; Dano gets his chance in Fast Food Nation.

Playing the quirky teenager behind the grill, Dano discovers his own intuitions about the storyline and its taboo subject matter that no one wants to face. Its harsh realities hits home to Dano who may often at times find himself having to purchase a quick bite to eat during his travels now rethinks his eating habits and removes fast food from his diet.

Did you read the book before shooting this film?

Paul Dano: I hadn’t read the book before I read the script for ‘Fast Food Nation’ and that’s because I felt I didn’t need to know anything else ... I was consciously not reading the book. But once I read the script and knew I was going to be on the film I read the book. Consequently because of the book, I’ve definitely not have eaten fast food. It’s not because of being in the movie… it’s because… that stuff it makes me squirm. Fast food is not hard for me to cut out of my diet.

With the movie its to a degree comedy, to a degree satire, to a degree fictional; did you feel let down from the differences in the book to the film and the way that it didn’t portray a documentary but instead a feature film?

Paul Dano: I think what your saying is what I liked about the script and what you are saying about the movie. I think someone can make a pretty hard core documentary about the subject and its facts. But the thing that I liked about the subject was that it had comedy, drama, satire and I don’t see it as one. It helped me to be objective. The thing that I liked most about the script and the book is seeing people; older people, young people and good people. Even people who are caught up in this fast food industry, I don’t think we’re saying that all these people are bad. Sometimes it’s moral dilemma and conscious and family. And seeing those people caught up in this bigger system, in this entire… and that that’s the problem really? The element for me is seeing people morally caught up and not getting treated well, paid well. Animals not getting treated well.

What was the impact of the meat packing plant on you?

Paul Dano: Yes. I did see the movie. I didn’t know what that was going to look like. The nose plugs trying to keep the smell. I just cant’ imagine being there. I don’t know how they do it. It’s tough to watch. Let alone, be there in person.

Anything change about your life since the inadvertent success of ‘Little Miss Sunshine’?

Paul Dano: No. Not really. I don’t get recognized too much. I mean, my hair is different and I wear glasses. I don’t look like someone who is in the movies… I don’t think.

When you think of fast food now does your character dropping the hamburger on the floor and placing it back on the grill come to mind?

Paul Dano: It’s nothing to do with numbers. There’s no even moral dilemma for my character in this movie like handling meat or something. But it is a shit job. And you want an easy way out. Nobody doesn’t really care about you much; whether they think your better than people or your not worth much.

If you weren’t an actor do you think you would have been a fast food worker for the summer?

Paul Dano: Yeah. Maybe. Certainly when you’re in high school, I think you’re just trying to get some money to take a girl out do whatever. Yeah. Sure. I would have done whatever. I would have gotten a better job if I could but a lot of times that‘s the only option at that age.

What do you think of these people who work at these jobs? Do you think they know what they are contributing to?

Paul Dano: They don’t know what they’re contributing to but their also… even if they did know… Some people working at those restaurants, they’re working there to live. I don’t hold people responsible to work at a place like that to feed themselves or whatever because you know; ultimately the greater thing is a bad thing in my eyes. Some of them probably do know but they don’t have enough other options so what can they do? And it would be great if everybody had the tenacity or the pride to even say I don’t care. I’m not going to eat to work for a place like that but that’s not real.