DeHaan attended Emmaus High School in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, where he participated in community theater for three years. For his senior year of high school, he transferred to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), where he was able to collaborate with emerging artists for the first time. He remained at UNCSA for his undergraduate studies and graduated in 2008.

Dane DeHaan has a diverse heritage, including English, Italian, German, Dutch, Scots-Irish, and Welsh ancestry. His surname, "DeHaan," is of Dutch origin and translates to "The Rooster."

Career Beginnings and Breakthrough Roles

DeHaan began his acting career as the understudy for Haley Joel Osment in the Broadway revival of American Buffalo. His television debut came in 2008 with a guest appearance on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2010, he appeared in John Sayles’ feature film Amigo.

He gained wider recognition for his role as Jesse in the third season of HBO’s In Treatment. He also played Timbo in the fourth season of the HBO series True Blood. In 2012, DeHaan starred in the science fiction film Chronicle, notable for its use of found-footage camcorder-style storytelling. That same year, he also appeared as Cricket in the historical crime drama Lawless.

One of his acclaimed performances was as Lucien Carr in the 2013 film Kill Your Darlings, a role that received critical praise and showcased his range as an actor. Around the same time, he was featured on the cover of Hero magazine (Issue 10), in a photoshoot by Hedi Slimane.