As a lifestyle enthusiast, I absolutely loved seeing the cast of Little Miss Sunshine back together! They had a special screening of the film this week, celebrating its 20th anniversary. It was such a heartwarming moment – a real trip down memory lane for those of us who adore this quirky, independent comedy.
Despite being made with a small budget of only $8 million, Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton’s first film, released in 2006, was a surprising success. It tells the story of a quirky and troubled family’s road trip to a beauty pageant in their 1979 Volkswagen van.
The film launched the careers of its stars, especially Paul Dano, who was 22 at the time, and 10-year-old Abigail Breslin. It also broke records at the Sundance Film Festival, securing the largest distribution deal in the festival’s history after its premiere on January 20th.
The cast of a beloved film – Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin, Toni Collette, and Greg Kinnear – came together for a reunion screening in Park City, Utah on Wednesday. The event felt particularly special, bringing the actors full circle as they revisited their iconic work.
Abigail Breslin, now 29, has become a well-known actress thanks to her work in movies like Zombieland, August: Osage County, and the TV series Scream Queens.
Dano, age 41, is a well-known actor in Hollywood. He’s been nominated for several prestigious awards – including BAFTAs, Emmys, and Golden Globes – and has appeared in acclaimed films like 12 Years a Slave, The Batman, The Fabelmans, and his latest movie, The Wizard of the Kremlin.
He’s received critical recognition for his work, including a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor in “There Will Be Blood,” as well as nominations for a Golden Globe and two Emmys.
Before landing the role of stressed-out mother Sheryl in Little Miss Sunshine, Australian actress Toni Collette, now 53, was already well-known for her work in films like Muriel’s Wedding and The Sixth Sense.
Before playing Sheryl’s husband, Richard, the motivational speaker, 62-year-old Kinnear was already known for roles in romantic comedies like You’ve Got Mail and As Good As It Gets, the latter of which earned him an Academy Award nomination.
The film also starred Steve Carell as Frank, Sheryl’s intellectual gay brother, though he wasn’t present on Thursday evening, and the late Alan Arkin, who played Edwin, a grandfather with questionable morals.
As a film buff, I remember when Little Miss Sunshine first hit the scene! It premiered at Sundance in January 2006 and caused a real buzz. Fox Searchlight snapped it up in a deal that was, at the time, the largest in the festival’s nearly three decades – it was a huge moment, and everyone knew this quirky little film was something special.
The film received four Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture, and ultimately won two: Best Supporting Actor for Alan Arkin, and Best Original Screenplay for Michael Arndt.
The movie centers around a quirky family who embarks on an 800-mile road trip in their Volkswagen van. They’re driving to California so their daughter, Olive (played by Abigail Breslin), can compete in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant.
The characters face personal struggles and learn to accept parts of themselves, all while helping Olive pursue her goals.
Alan Arkin, the Academy Award-winning actor known for his role as Edwin, died at his home in Carlsbad, California, in 2023 at the age of 89.
Actor Dano recently received harsh criticism from director Quentin Tarantino, who felt he didn’t stand out enough on screen. This comment sparked a negative reaction from many in the acting world.
Quentin Tarantino believes ‘There Will Be Blood’ could have been one of the top two films of all time, but he feels Paul Dano’s performance is a significant weakness that holds it back.
The play is intended to focus on two main actors, but it’s clear that doesn’t really happen. Dano’s performance is just not strong enough; he doesn’t carry his weight in the dynamic.
Surprisingly, the director suggested that Austin Butler, known for playing Elvis, would have been a stronger choice for the villainous part played by Dano.
He thought Austin Butler would have been perfect for the part, and went on to describe the actor who was cast as bland and unengaging.
Butler is seven years younger than Dano. When There Will Be Blood was filmed, Butler was about 15, while Dano was 22. Dano was able to convincingly portray both a young and an older, more worn-down version of his character throughout the film, which spanned several years into the late 1920s.
After Tarantino shared his list, people online heavily criticized him. Many called his comments about Paul Dano disrespectful, and film fans ridiculed his movie selections, pointing out they were surprisingly mainstream and didn’t include the international or lesser-known directors he used to praise.
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2026-01-29 12:19