Paul Dano reacts to Tarantino’s criticism: ‘I was so grateful that the world stood up for me’ | Paul Dano

Paul Dano has responded to Quentin Tarantino’s harsh criticism of his acting abilities, thanking those who defended him after Tarantino called him a “weak, uninteresting man” and “the weakest member of the world.”

On Wednesday, Dano told Variety that the supportive responses pouring in from his peers and across social media have been touching.

“That was really nice,” Dano said. “I was also very grateful that the world spoke for me, so I didn’t have to.”

While speaking about his favorite films of the 21st century on the Bret Easton Ellis Show in December, Tarantino placed Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood at number five, but told Ellis that it would have been at number one or two if Dano hadn’t been in it, comparing his performance unfavorably to that of the film’s star, Daniel Day-Lewis.

“It’s obviously supposed to be two games. But it’s also quite clear that it’s not a two-handed game,” Tarantino told Ellis. “[Dano] Weak sauce, man. She is the weak sister. [Day-Lewis] He eats it [alive]. Austin Butler would have been great in the role. [Dano] He’s just a weak, weak, uninteresting guy. Daniel Day-Lewis shows that he doesn’t need a strong personality. The movie needs it. He doesn’t need anything. It’s supposed to be two-handed and it’s not! …Did you put him with the weakest actor in SAG? The lamest dick in the world?

Tarantino concluded his speech by saying: “I am not saying that he gives a bad performance, but rather I am saying that he gives a performance that is not my being… I do not care about him,” also criticizing the acting of Owen Wilson and Matthew Lillard.

Many of Dano’s peers responded. A representative for Day-Lewis told The Guardian that he agreed that Dano was among “the best and most talented actors of his generation.”

“Paul Dano is an incredibly talented and versatile actor. Most importantly, he is a gentleman,” Reese Witherspoon wrote on social media.

Director Matt Reeves, who directed Dano in The Batman, wrote on social media: “Paul Dano is an amazing actor, and an amazing person.”

Ben Stiller called Dano “absolutely brilliant,” while Alec Baldwin shared a video statement to say: “I love Paul Dano. And if you don’t like Paul Dano, shh.”

During the awards ceremony earlier in January, George Clooney used his speech to say that he would be “honored” to work with Dano, Wilson and Lillard, saying, “I don’t enjoy watching people be cruel. We live in a time of cruelty. We don’t need to add to it.”

On Wednesday, ahead of the 20th anniversary screening of Little Miss Sunshine at the Sundance Film Festival, Dano’s co-star, Toni Collette, said of Tarantino: “Damn that guy! He must have been high… It was so confusing. Who does that?”

Little Miss Sunshine co-director Jonathan Dayton said Tarantino’s comments were “embarrassing”, adding: “I can’t help but think… [Dano’s] The harshness of his performance made Tarantino uncomfortable. “He could not have been sued easily.”

Lillard also responded to Tarantino’s criticism, saying, “It hurts your feelings. It’s disgusting. You wouldn’t say that to Tom Cruise. You wouldn’t say that to someone who’s a top actor in Hollywood.”