Bold claim: Tarantino just turned a famous actor into his latest target for critique, proving no one in the industry is beyond a sharp word from him. And this time, the spotlight falls on Paul Dano.
Tarantino, known for his provocative takes, didn’t mince words during a recent appearance on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast. He revealed that he ranks Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 film There Will Be Blood as his fifth-favorite movie of the 21st century. Yet he also confessed that he would have placed it first or second—if not for what he calls “a big giant flaw” in the film: Paul Dano’s performance.
In Tarantino’s view, Dano, who plays twins Eli and Paul Sunday in the film, isn’t up to sharing the screen with Daniel Day-Lewis. He didn’t hold back, calling Dano “weak sauce” and “a weak sister.” The speaker asked who could have done the role better, and Tarantino suggested Austin Butler would have been wonderful in that part, emphasizing that Dano is “just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy.” (For context, Butler was only 16 years old at the time.)
Anderson himself is no stranger to reshaping casting. He not only cast Dano as Paul Sunday but also reportedly rewrote the script to make Paul and Eli identical twins, allowing Dano to portray both roles. Paul Sunday was originally a minor character, the very part Dano initially auditioned for.
Dano has since earned critical praise for his performances across various projects, from There Will Be Blood to Little Miss Sunshine and The Fabelmans. CNN reached out to his representatives for comment.
This incident adds another layer to the ongoing discussion about Tarantino’s provocative opinions and their impact on industry conversations, much like the longstanding debates surrounding Tarantino’s cult status with Jackie Brown. The bigger question remains: does a filmmaker’s harsh verdict on a co-star reflect tough truth-telling or personal bias? Would fans and colleagues defend Dano, or side with Tarantino’s blunt assessment? Share thoughts in the comments.
