Dan Dunne — Half Nelson Character Profile

About Dan Dunne

A middle-school history teacher who employs dialectics in class while secretly battling a severe cocaine addiction. His life intersects with student Drey and ex-girlfriend Rachel, leading to a violent encounter with colleague Isabel and a tentative, drug-fueled bond with Drey that culminates in shared laughter.

Dan Dunne — Character Profile

Character Facts

Played by

Ryan Gosling

Appears in

Half Nelson (2006)

Role

Protagonist

Relationships (9)

• Dan Dunne — Professional Student — Jamal (Tristan Mack Wilds)

  Teacher-student relationship

• Dan Dunne — Professional Student — Gina (Rosemary Ledee)

  Teacher-student relationship

• Dan Dunne — Professional Student — Stacy (Tyra Kwao-Vovo)

  History student in Dan's class

• Dan Dunne — Professional Student — Terrance (Nathan Corbett)

  History student in Dan's class

• Dan Dunne — Professional Student — Roodly (Jeff Lima)

  History student in Dan's class

• Dan Dunne — Romantic Former Partner — Isabel (Monique Gabriela Curnen)

  School teacher he has previously dated

• Dan Dunne — Romantic Ex-Girlfriend — Rachel (Tina Holmes)

  Former romantic relationship reappears unexpectedly

• Dan Dunne — Conflict Antagonist — Frank (Anthony Mackie)

  Sees Frank as a negative influence on Drey

• Dan Dunne — Professional Teacher-Student — Drey (Shareeka Epps)

  History teacher forms an unconventional bond with his student

Explore the full interactive character relationship map of Half Nelson

More characters from Half Nelson

• Drey (Shareeka Epps)
• Frank (Anthony Mackie)
• Roodly (Jeff Lima)
• Bernard (Bryce Silver)
• Isabel (Monique Gabriela Curnen)
• Simone (Eleanor Hutchins)
• Tina (Deidre Goodwin)
• Vanessa (Stephanie Bast)
• Rachel (Tina Holmes)
• Erika (Erica Rivera)
• Javier (Sebastian Sozzi)
• Lena (Kaela C. Pabon)