Paul Dano Clarifies His Controversial Statement About The Batman

It's a big deal for any actor to assume a role as iconic as Bruce Wayne or Riddler, but "The Batman" seems more than up to the task to leave its mark on the mythos surrounding the Caped Crusader. Robert Pattinson and Paul Dano, respectively, appear to embody their characters wonderfully, and audiences will be able to see their new takes on the iconic characters in a little over a week now.

It will be particularly interesting to see Paul Dano's take on the Riddler after making some eye-catching comments about playing the role. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Dano mentioned how he had trouble sleeping after shooting some of his scenes, saying, "There were some nights around that I probably didn't sleep as well as I would've wanted to just because it was a little hard to come down from this character. It takes a lot of energy to get there. And so you almost have to sustain it once you're there because going up and down is kind of hard."

The quote took off on social media, with many likening the statement to Heath Ledger's performance as Joker in 2008's "The Dark Knight." Ledger was famously sleep-deprived during the preparation and filming of the superhero movie, and many wondered why playing Batman villains gets actors into a more disturbed mental state. Now, Dano has clarified what he meant by that declaration to EW.

Paul Dano recently appeared on "Good Morning America" to talk about the impending release of "The Batman." He goes over many intriguing details of his character, and there's even a clip where we finally get a chance to see his face unobstructed. However, "GMA" host Michael Strahan couldn't let the opportunity pass with Paul Dano available right there without going over his most recent comments concerning the film. Strahan asks how well Dano slept last night before alluding to the EW piece, and Dano responds, "The premiere went well, so I slept well enough. 

He then gets into the meat of what he actually meant by his comments, explaining, "I should clarify because sometimes these quotes take on a life of their own on the internet. But yes, sometimes it's a little hard to come down from the day, but I think I mean that, and I'll be curious if this holds up for you [Michael Strahan], more like an athlete, frankly, where you prepare your body and mind. You know, when you have a big scene in a 'Batman' film, it is game day, and you have to be at a certain temperature. And that temperature is not the temperature that I exist at in real life, right?"

By the sound of it, Dano didn't have trouble sleeping because playing the Riddler messed with his psyche, which is what a lot of people associate with Heath Ledger. Instead, he was just too amped up after a day of shooting and needed time to come down to a place where he could rest. It's certainly understandable and makes plenty of sense in the context of the film. Audiences will be able to see just how intense Paul Dano became for this role when "The Batman" hits theaters on March 4.