A number of actors have stepped forward to defend There Will Be Blood star Paul Dano after a prominent Hollywood director criticized him as the ‘weakest f**king actor’.
Quentin Tarantino made a controversial statement during the Bret Easton Ellis podcast, where he also mentioned Owen Wilson and Matthew Lillard among actors he has issues with. His remarks about Dano, however, drew immediate criticism.
At 41, Dano has played several significant roles in critically acclaimed movies such as Little Miss Sunshine (2006), 12 Years a Slave (2013), Swiss Army Man (2016), and The Batman (2022).
However, his portrayal of Eli Sunday in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 film There Will Be Blood seems to have fallen short for Tarantino, who called Dano ‘weak sauce’ during the podcast, sparking industry-wide backlash.
“There Will Be Blood would stand a good chance at being #1 or #2 if it didn’t have a big, giant flaw in it … and the flaw is Paul Dano,” Tarantino told Bret Easton Ellis.
“[Dano] is weak sauce, man. He is the weak sister. Austin Butler would have been wonderful in that role. He’s just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy. The weakest f**king actor in SAG,” was the Kill Bill director’s harsh critique.
Following his comments, numerous well-known figures and past co-stars have come forward to support Dano.
Comedian Ben Stiller took to X to express, ‘Paul Dano is f-ing brilliant’, while Alec Baldwin voiced his admiration on Instagram, stating ‘I love Paul Dano,’ and urging critics to stay silent if they disagree.
In the comment section, Everybody Loves Raymond star Brad Garrett also voiced his support, enthusiastically adding ‘Me too!!!!!’ followed by a clapping emoji and a heart.
Actors familiar with Dano’s work have also defended him, with Frozen‘s Josh Gad stating: “Not sure who needs to hear this, but Paul Dano is one of the best actors of our time. Full stop.”
Many of Dano’s co-stars from There Will Be Blood have also responded to Tarantino’s incendiary remarks.
Dillon Freasier, whose standout role was as Daniel Day-Lewis’ eight-year-old son in the film, shared: “The film is perfect. It’s a work of art. And it’s that way because everyone was perfectly cast.”
Colleen Foy, who appeared in the film as Dano’s on-screen sister, went further by claiming the director has shifted his view on Dano, who was only 23 at the time.
“His incredible performance speaks for itself,” she noted. “I sat behind Quentin Tarantino at the Cast & Crew screening and he was clearly enjoying Paul’s performance.
“His recent comments are inconsistent with his reaction that night.”
Mattson Tomlin, a co-writer of a sequel to The Batman, welcomed the support, saying: “I am really pleased to see so many people cheer on Paul Dano this week.
“Not only is he a terrific actor, but he’s an astonishing director who exudes control and tremendous empathy.”
The Batman director Matt Reeves added: “Paul Dano is an incredible actor, and an incredible person.”