Paul Dano has finally reacted to the swipe Quentin Tarantino made about his acting abilities.
During a December 2025 podcast interview with Bret Easton Ellis, the 62-year-old director referred to Paul Dano, now 41, as a mistake 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 strong performance might have outshone Paul Dano’s, Quentin Tarantino strongly disagreed, asking if Dano was being considered the worst male actor in the Screen Actors Guild, using harsh and vulgar language to make his point.
At the Sundance Film Festival on Wednesday, Dano talked about how much he appreciated the support he received from many well-known actors after some negative comments were made about him.
He said he was thankful people defended him, saving him the need to do so himself, according to Variety.
Toni Collette, who acted with Danos in Little Miss Sunshine, publicly shared her honest reaction to Tarantino’s controversial comments on Wednesday, standing in solidarity with him.
The 53-year-old actress exclaimed her frustration with someone, saying, ‘He must have been under the influence.’ She found the situation baffling and asked, ‘What would possess someone to do that?’
Of Collette coming to his defense, Dano said, ‘That was really nice.’
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 remarkable to see how many people immediately came to Paul’s defense, highlighting how much he’s loved and admired for his intelligence.
Dano 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 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 one of the best actors 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 talented actor and a wonderful person.
Ben Stiller, the director of Escape at Dannemora, also used the app to share his praise for Paul Dano, saying he thinks Dano is a truly incredible actor.
During a discussion that sparked controversy, Tarantino clarified he wasn’t criticizing the actor’s performance as ‘bad,’ but rather as lacking impact or memorability.
‘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 03:20