After director Quentin Tarantino called out Paul Dano as “the weak sister” in his recent podcast rant, calling him “weak gravy” and “the lamest dk in the world,” a wave of support poured in from Hollywood this week defending the actor’s talent and character.
Tarantino, while ranking his favorite films of the 21st century, placed There will be blood at No. 5.
Despite praising the film overall, he did not hold back from criticizing Dano’s performance, saying that the film “uses” a stronger foil than Dano in his opinion.
But many strongly disagree. On X, comedian and filmmaker Ben Stiller wrote simply: “Paul Dano is bloody brilliant.”
Simu Liu, known for starring in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, added: “I think Paul Dano is an incredible actor.”
Support also came behind the camera: Matt Reeves, director of Batman, Dano praised X as “an incredible actor and an incredible person.”
Meanwhile, screenwriter Mattson Tomlin encouraged any skeptics to check out Dano’s work Animal lifecalling him “a fantastic actor” and “an astonishing director who exudes control and immense empathy.”
Dano’s body of work includes outstanding performances in films such as Little Miss Sunshine, 12 years as a slave, The Fabelman familyand his most recent turn as the Riddler in Batman.
Despite Tarantino’s harsh criticism, the breadth of voices coming to Dano’s defense this week suggests that many believe his reputation and reach speak louder than any negative comment.
