Quentin Tarantino has not shied away from expressing his opinions on certain actors in Hollywood. Known for his collaborations with A-list stars such as Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, Samuel L. Jackson, and Leonardo DiCaprio, there’s one actor Tarantino seems hesitant to work with, labeling them as ‘the weakest f***ing actor’ in the industry.
In a recent episode of The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, Tarantino critiqued the film There Will Be Blood.
He pointed out what he considered ‘a giant flaw’ in the movie, attributing it to actor Paul Dano. “Austin Butler would have been wonderful in that role. [Dano] just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy,” Tarantino mentioned.
Further criticizing Dano, he called him ‘the weakest male actor in SAG.’ That’s a harsh assessment.
Dano isn’t the only actor on Tarantino’s list of dislikes. He also has strong feelings about Owen Wilson, known for his role in Wedding Crashers.
“I really can’t stand Owen Wilson,” Tarantino stated on the same podcast, emphasizing: “I mean, I can’t stand him.”
Regarding Wilson’s role in Midnight in Paris (a film Wilson has described as his career’s top work), Tarantino commented: “I spent the first time watching the movie loving it and hating him.”
He continued: “The second time I watched the movie, I was like, ‘Ah, okay, don’t be such a pr*ck. He’s not so bad. He’s not so bad.’ And then the third time I watched it, I found myself watching him.”
Ultimately, Tarantino admitted he ‘doesn’t care for’ Wilson.
Another actor who doesn’t appeal to him? Matthew Lillard, known for his roles in Scream and Scooby-Doo.
“I don’t care for [Dano], I don’t care for Owen Wilson, and I don’t care for Matthew Lillard,” the Django Unchained director declared.
UNILAD have approached Wilson and Lillard’s representatives for their response.
While Tarantino has not held back about actors he dislikes, he has also praised those he respects, with Robert De Niro being a notable example.
In a 1997 interview with Charlie Rose following the release of Jackie Brown, Tarantino praised De Niro.
“He deserves his reputation as probably the greatest actor of his generation,” he said about the Goodfellas star.
Tarantino further elaborated: “I think he is the best actor in the world. I’ve never seen an actor so completely consume himself in character, in true character work during the work.”