Earlier this week, we talked about Quentin Tarantino’s bizarrely personal attack on Paul Dano. Tarantino was being interviewed by Bret Easton Ellis on Ellis’s podcast, and Tarantino was discussing his top-twenty films of the 21st century. His list was garbage, btw. But he put Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood in his top-ten, and argued that the film would have been his #1 except for Paul Dano. Dano gave a gonzo performance in that film, trying his best to go toe-to-toe with Daniel Day Lewis. Lesser actors would have failed miserably, but Dano held his own and he played off DDL in interesting ways. Here are Tarantino’s full comments, as transcribed by People Mag:
Tarantino, 62, described Dano, 41, as “weak sauce” during his Tuesday, Dec. 2 appearance on an episode of The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast as he and host Bret Easton Ellis talked through Tarantino’s opinions on the top movies of the 21st century. As Tarantino named There Will Be Blood, the 2007 epic that Dano costarred in with Daniel Day-Lewis, his fifth-favorite movie of the last 25 years, he said the movie “would stand a better chance to be in number one or number two if it didn’t have a big giant flaw in it.”
“And the flaw is Paul Dano,” Tarantino said. “Obviously, it’s supposed to be a two-hander, and it’s also so drastically obvious that it’s not a two-hander. . . He is weak sauce, man. He’s a weak sister. . . Austin Butler would have been wonderful in that role.”
When host Ellis asked Tarantino whether he thought Dano was simply the wrong actor for the part, the famed director said, “He’s just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy. . . Daniel Day-Lewis shows that he doesn’t need [a strong foil in the movie]. He doesn’t need anything. The movie would’ve had more — there would’ve been more stringiness to the beef. And again, it’s supposed to be a two-hander, and it’s not.”
When Ellis contended that Day-Lewis’ performance in the movie is “so gargantuan” that it perhaps overshadows Dano’s, Tarantino responded, “So you put him with the weakest male actor in SAG? The limpest d–k in the world?”
“I’m not saying he’s giving a terrible performance,” he added moments later. “I’m saying he’s giving a non-entity [performance]. I don’t care for him. I don’t care for Owen Wilson, I don’t care for Matthew Lillard.”
Throughout the week, people have engaged in some really interesting armchair psychoanalysis of why the hell Tarantino is attacking Dano in this personal way. I think the most reasonable explanation is that Dano is a brilliant character actor who tends to be really good at playing losers, fanatics and villains, and Tarantino feels like Dano’s acting roles hit too close to (Tarantino’s) home. As in, Tarantino hates Dano because he sees himself in Dano.
In any case, something sort of cool has happened in the wake of Tarantino’s interview. Industry people, across the board, and showing love to Dano, who generally seems to be one of the least problematic people in the industry. Actors, directors, writers and producers are all posting messages of support to Paul Dano or highlighting his work. I might watch The Fabelmans again, just to support him! He’s GREAT in The Fabelmans. Toni Collette posted something from Little Miss Sunshine. Matt Reeves (who did The Batman with Dano) tweeted his support. And on and on. They’re calling this a reverse cancellation! It reminds me a little bit of what happened with Jeremy Strong after his bitchy New Yorker profile, and all of Strong’s industry friends were like “Jeremy is awesome, actually.”
Paul Dano is an incredible actor, and an incredible person.
— Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) December 4, 2025
Paul Dano is f-ing brilliant
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) December 4, 2025
idk man i think paul dano is an incredible actor
— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) December 4, 2025
As a director I couldn’t possibly imagine disrespecting another professional publicly like Quentin Tarantino did with Paul Dano. It’s inconceivable to even think about talking disparagingly about another professional like that. Paul Dano is a tremendous actor, period.
— Dan Marcus (@Danimalish) December 4, 2025
Maya Rudolph joining the War on Paul Dano on the side of Paul Dano pic.twitter.com/9Ro9vyoRPS
— mimi (@yourestaring) December 4, 2025
toni collette just posted this about paul dano. tarantino is such a clown lmao pic.twitter.com/H9HZoaXSs1
— memorïa (@deathofmeaning) December 5, 2025
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Paul Dano attends the “The Wizard of the Kremlin” photocall during the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in Venice, Italy on 31 August 2025.,Image: 1032927450, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Stefano Costantino TTL/Avalon
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- Europe, Italy, Lido di Venezia, August 31, 2025: Paul Dano attends a red carpet for the movie ”The Wizard Of The Kremlin’ during the 82st Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2025, in Venice, Italy.,Image: 1033198741, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: **** World right excluding Italy ****, Model Release: no, Credit line: Ottavia Da Re/Agenzia Sintesi/Avalon
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- 2025 Venice Film Festival -The Wizard of the Kremlin Premiere – Photocall,Image: 1033565845, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Available in UK, USA & Europe excluding Poland, Model Release: no, Pictured: Paul Dano, Credit line: KIKA/Wenn/Avalon
There is also a theory of Tarantino is a failed actor who wishes he had the type of career Dano has. Tarantino is a terrible actor and only way he can get on screen is when he casted himself. He’s usually the weakest most forgettable part of the movie.
Paul Dano was 23 when he co starred with DDL – a man everyone in the industry seems to be deeply intimidated by and have a disturbing reverence for.
He wasn’t out acted. He delivered an amazing and unique performance.
QT is ugly jealous and it’s so gross and cruel.
1. wrong.
2. rude.
Tarantino can be such a crusty bitch.
Whatever his reasoning was for attacking all the actors that he did, the key point was that it was very unprofessional. If your name in the movies that you enjoyed, and someone that you don’t love as an actor is in it but you still enjoy the movie that’s all that you were being asked. What movies did you like, you could have left it there. Hello good morning good morning I mean it’s okay so far
I think because Dano doesn’t have classic movie star looks and IS so damn talente, Quinton is talented. I remember George Clooney talking about how Quentin Tarantino approached him about Dusk Till Dawn, and how QT said he wanted to cast him as his brother because they looked alike.
I’m not a Clooney fan, but he was definitely a looker back in the day. It’s hard to imagine anyone thinking he and Quentin Tarantino looked similar, though! Quentin is delusional and a haterrrr.
I’m sure QT has been hurt by being called out in everything he’s “acted” in as sucking hard. But so random: Paul Dano, Owen Wilson (who seems to pay himself over and over but so did Gary Cooper) and Matthew Lillard (REALLY random). QT only hurt his own reputation as a serious filmmaker by doing that. Thank goodness for small favors he didn’t go after actresses (this time anyway).
I feel like QT’s creative spirit died in the 00’s and it shows. No recent movies. And Matthew lillard?!?
I just remembered how much I liked Paul as young Brian Wilson in Love and Mercy.
I mean sharing a scene with DDL…
That speaks by itself.
I think Toes said what he said about Paul because Paul in laws are the Kazan’s, as Toes idolized Elia. Toes is jelly he doesn’t have a HW royalty relationship.
I’m not a fan of any of the actors Tarantino mentioned but what he said was so rude and uncalled for.
Paul Dano did two films with DDL. The first one was The Ballad of Jack and Rose and the second one . . .