Acclaimed filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has ignited a firestorm in Hollywood with a brutally honest and harsh assessment of fellow actor Paul Dano. The "Pulp Fiction" director did not mince words, labelling Dano as essentially the worst actor he can think of during a recent podcast appearance.
A Scathing Review on a Popular Podcast
The controversial comments were made during an episode of author Bret Easton Ellis's podcast. The discussion turned to Paul Thomas Anderson's acclaimed 2007 oil drama, "There Will Be Blood," which Tarantino ranked as the fifth-best movie of the 21st century. However, he argued the film could have been his top pick if not for one major flaw: the performance of Paul Dano.
Tarantino, known for his unfiltered opinions, elaborated with a series of cutting remarks. He stated that Dano's performance was a "non-entity" and that the actor was "weak sauce." He dramatically claimed that co-star Daniel Day-Lewis, who won an Oscar for the film, was "eating him alive." Tarantino even suggested that actor Austin Butler would have been a superior choice for the dual roles Dano played.
"It’s supposed to be a two-hander and it’s not! … you put him with the weakest fucking actor in SAG? The limpest dick in the world?" Tarantino said, according to reports from Variety.
Defense and Doubling Down
Podcast host Bret Easton Ellis attempted to defend Dano's portrayal of twin brothers in the film. Tarantino, however, refused to back down from his position. He clarified that he wasn't calling the performance terrible, but rather uninteresting and lacking the necessary strength to serve as a proper foil for Day-Lewis's powerhouse acting.
This public dressing-down is particularly notable given Dano's own respected career. The actor is a Golden Globe nominee and a two-time Emmy nominee, with major roles in films like "The Batman" (2022), "The Fabelmans" (2022), and "Love & Mercy" (2014).
Repercussions and Industry Context
As of now, Paul Dano has not publicly responded to Tarantino's stinging critique. HuffPost has reportedly reached out to his representatives for comment, offering him a chance to address the unexpected attack from one of cinema's most famous directors.
In a related note from the same podcast, Tarantino revealed his personal top film of the century so far is Ridley Scott's 2001 war drama "Black Hawk Down." This ranking further contextualizes his cinematic tastes and the high bar against which he measures performances like Dano's.
The incident highlights the sometimes brutally subjective nature of film criticism, even among industry giants. While "There Will Be Blood" is widely considered a modern masterpiece, Tarantino's comments prove that even celebrated works can be a source of fierce artistic disagreement at the highest levels.