Overview
- On a Dec. 2 appearance on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, Quentin Tarantino called Paul Dano the “big, giant flaw” in There Will Be Blood, labeling him “weak sauce,” “the weakest… actor in SAG,” and suggesting Austin Butler for the role.
- Directors Matt Reeves and Ben Stiller praised Dano on X, with Reeves calling him “an incredible actor” and Stiller saying he is “f-ing brilliant,” while Simu Liu and screenwriter Mattson Tomlin also posted support.
- Alec Baldwin shared an Instagram video declaring, “I love Paul Dano,” as supportive posts and messages from peers spread widely across social platforms.
- There Will Be Blood collaborators pushed back: Colleen Foy said Tarantino had been “vibing” with Dano’s performance at an early screening, and Dillon Freasier told TMZ the film was “perfect” because “everyone was perfectly cast.”
- News outlets report Dano has not addressed the remarks, and coverage notes Tarantino’s long-standing criticism of the performance despite Dano’s dual roles in the film and subsequent acclaimed work.