It has certainly been a rocky week for film-industry gossip. After unveiling his picks for the 20 to 10 best films of the 21st century, Quentin Tarantino revealed his top 10 on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast a few days ago, and he did not hesitate to deliver a harsh criticism of Paul Dano’s critically lauded performance in “There Will Be Blood.“
The director of “Pulp Fiction” placed Paul Thomas Anderson’s film in fifth place and stated, “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.” The rant didn’t stop there. Tarantino added, “[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.” In response, many stars stepped in to defend Dano. Here’s what they said.
Simu Liu, ‘Batman 2’ Writer and Dillon Freasier Step Up to Defend Paul Dano
Hollywood didn’t waste any time pushing back against Quentin Tarantino’s blistering critique. Among the first voices to speak up was Simu Liu, who took to X to make his stance unmistakably clear. The “Shang-Chi” star kept it simple but firm, telling followers “idk man i think paul dano is an incredible actor.”
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Another strong defense came from Mattson Tomlin, who’s currently co-writing “The Batman Part II” with director Matt Reeves. Tomlin praised not only Dano’s acting but also his work behind the camera, calling him a filmmaker with “tremendous empathy” and encouraging fans to revisit “Wildlife,” Dano’s directorial debut. Given their collaboration on Reeves’ “Batman” universe—where Dano portrayed a chilling, methodical Riddler—Tomlin’s endorsement carried extra weight.
Support even came from one of the stars who shared the screen with Dano during the very film Tarantino criticized. Dillon Freasier, the former child actor who played H.W. Plainview in “There Will Be Blood,” told TMZ the movie remains “perfect” in his eyes. He credited the film’s enduring power to its “perfect” casting, making it crystal clear that he believes Dano was exactly where he needed to be.
As the conversation spread, more industry names joined in. Ben Stiller posted on X, “Paul Dano is f-ing brilliant,” adding his voice to the growing wave of support. Two other a-listers showed their backing (visually) as well: Toni Collette shared a photo of the two filming “Little Miss Sunshine,” topping Dano with a crown emoji, while Maya Rudolph posted a shot of him opposite Daniel Day-Lewis in the intense church scene from “There Will Be Blood,” a subtle reminder of the performance Tarantino dismissed.
With actors, writers, and former co-stars stepping in, the backlash to Tarantino’s comments has turned into a reminder of Dano’s reputation among peers: a performer consistently praised for commitment, nuance, and a willingness to take risks.
