Toni Collette strongly defended Paul Dano against criticism from Quentin Tarantino, using harsh language to express her disapproval of Tarantino’s comments.
The 53-year-old actress and Paul, 41, previously co-starred in the 2006 film Little Miss Sunshine and recently came together again for a 20th anniversary showing at the Sundance Film Festival.
During the film screening, someone brought up comments made by Quentin. Before Paul could respond, Toni quickly interjected, saying, ‘Seriously? Forget that guy! He must have been on something… it didn’t make any sense. What kind of behavior is that?’
After Quentin made some remarks, a number of actors publicly supported Paul, describing Quentin’s comments as ‘really nice’.
He shared with Variety that he was deeply thankful for the public support he received, saying it relieved him of having to speak out himself.
The director said in a December 2025 podcast interview that Paul was a weak point in the 2007 film There Will Be Blood, which won an Academy Award.
He went on to say that the actor is ‘just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy.’
When the host, Ellis, suggested that Daniel Day-Lewis’s performance might have outshone Paul’s, Quentin strongly disagreed. He responded with a provocative question: “Are you saying Paul was the worst male actor in the Screen Actors Guild? The most unconvincing?”
Jonathan Dayton called Quentin Tarantino’s criticism – which included comments about actors Matthew Lillard and Owen Wilson – ’embarrassing’.
He mused: ‘I can only think that his rawness of his performance made Tarantino uncomfortable.’
Valerie Faris, one of the directors of Little Miss Sunshine, noted that it was striking to see how many people immediately came to Paul’s defense, demonstrating how much he is loved and admired for his intelligence.
Paul is a highly respected actor known for his roles in popular films like The Fabelmans, The Batman, Prisoners, and Love & Mercy.
He’s received several prestigious awards and nominations, including a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor in There Will Be Blood, as well as a Golden Globe nomination and two Emmy nominations.
Daniel Day-Lewis supported his ‘There Will Be Blood’ co-star Paul Dano after Quentin Tarantino offered some criticism.
When a fan account dedicated to Daniel Day-Lewis praised Paul Dano as a top actor of his generation, a spokesperson for Day-Lewis confirmed he agreed with the statement to The Guardian.
In December, Matt Reeves, the director of The Batman, praised Paul Dano on X, calling him both a fantastic actor and a wonderful person.
Ben Stiller, the director of Escape at Dannemora, also shared his opinion on the app, writing, ‘I don’t know, I think Paul Dano is a really talented actor.’
During a discussion that sparked controversy, Tarantino clarified he wasn’t criticizing the actor’s performance as ‘bad,’ but rather that it lacked impact and didn’t leave a lasting impression.
‘I don’t care for him. I don’t care for Owen Wilson, I don’t care for Matthew Lillard.’
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2026-01-29 11:53