“There Will Be Blood” star Paul Dano. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)
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Quentin Tarantino’s viral criticism of Paul Dano sparked outrage from fans and Hollywood’s biggest stars, but Dano didn’t speak up at the time.
Two months after the viral controversy, Dano has finally broken his silence.
What Did Quentin Tarantino Say About Paul Dano?
Last December, during an appearance on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, acclaimed filmmaker Quentin Tarantino praised Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood, placing it number five on his list ranking the greatest movies of the 21st century.
Film buffs were surprised by Tarantino’s taste (the Kill Bill director gave the top spot to Black Hawk Down, second place going to Toy Story 3), but Tarantino’s withering comments about Paul Dano overshadowed any debate about the list.
On the podcast, Tarantino claimed he would’ve ranked There Will Be Blood higher “if it didn’t have a big, giant flaw in it … and the flaw is Paul Dano.”
In the film, Dano plays twins Paul and Eli Sunday, the latter being a preacher who proves as selfish and manipulative as the film’s intimidating protagonist, Daniel Plainview, played by Daniel Day Lewis.
“Obviously, it’s supposed to be a two-hander. But it’s also drastically obvious that it’s not a two-hander,” Tarantino said, referring to Dano and Day Lewis.
“[Dano] is weak sauce, man. He is the weak sister. [Daniel] is eating him [alive].”
Tarantino then claimed that Austin Butler would have been a better fit for the role, going on to describe Dano as “a weak, weak, uninteresting guy … you put [Daniel] with the the weakest f**king actor in SAG? The limpest d**k in the world?”
Tarantino is an extraordinary filmmaking talent, but his podcast appearances often spark controversy—Tarantino fans are used to hearing his spicy comments.
Tarantino’s criticism of Dano, however, really struck a nerve.
Quentin Tarantino’s Criticism Of Paul Dano Sparked Backlash
Film buffs were surprised at Tarantino’s criticism, as Dano is widely viewed as a dedicated, talented performer.
Tarantino’s comments sparked backlash and inspired film critics to write thinkpieces reflecting on his harsh words.
Most striking, however, was the reaction from Hollywood, as several major stars spoke up in Dano’s defense.
Ben Stiller praised Dano on X (Twitter), along with Simu Liu, who described Dano as an “incredible actor.”
Alec Baldwin posted a video singing Dano’s praises on Instagram, while Reese Witherspoon described Dano as “gifted, versatile actor” and “a gentleman” on Threads.
Filmmaker Matt Reeves, who directed Dano as the Riddler in The Batman, described him as an “incredible actor” and “incredible person.”
Dillon Freasier, who played Daniel Day-Lewis’ son in There Will Be Blood, said: “The film is perfect. It’s a work of art. And it’s that way because everyone was perfectly cast.”
George Clooney also alluded to Tarantino’s comments during a speech praising the performances of Dano and his co-stars in Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly, stating: “We are living in a time of cruelty. We don’t need to be adding to it.”
Paul Dano Finally Responds To Tarantino’s Viral Criticism
In the wake of the controversy, Dano stayed completely silent.
At this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Dano was asked about Tarantino’s controversial comments.
Before he could answer, Little Miss Sunshine star Toni Collette spoke up, saying, “Are we really going there? F**k that guy! He must’ve been high… it was just confusing. Who does that?”
Finally, Dano spoke up, telling Variety that he appreciated the outpouring of public support, but didn’t directly mention Tarantino.
“That was really nice,” Dano said. “I was also incredibly grateful that the world spoke up for me so I didn’t have to.”
Online commentators celebrated Dano’s cool-headed response, posting supportive comments and memes.
It’s common to hear behind-the-scenes horror stories of egotistical Hollywood stars who put on a smiling face in public, but Paul Dano seems the exact opposite.
Dano is known to play deranged narcissists, but is clearly beloved by those who work with him.
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Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2026/01/29/finally-paul-dano-responds-to-quentin-tarantinos-viral-criticism/
