Quentin Tarantino blasts Paul Dano again, calls him 'weakest actor in SAG'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Quentin Tarantino is once again taking aim at Paul Dano, reigniting a long-running debate over the actor’s performance in the critically acclaimed 2007 film 'There Will Be Blood.' The filmmaker’s latest remarks surfaced during a new interview, sparking renewed discussion in Hollywood circles and across social media.

Tarantino, 62, recently revealed his Top 20 films of the 21st century, placing Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterpiece at No 5, but he emphasized that the film would have ranked even higher if not for Dano.

Quentin Tarantino slams Paul Dano’s performance in ‘There Will Be Blood’

Speaking on 'The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast,' Tarantino praised the movie overall, especially Daniel Day-Lewis’ iconic turn as Daniel Plainview, but wasted no time criticizing Dano’s dual roles as brothers Eli and Paul Sunday.

“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,” Tarantino said. He argued that the dynamic between the characters was meant to feel like a true two-hander but instead came across as uneven.

“[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*****g actor in SAG,” he added with a laugh, though the sting was clear.

Quentin Tarantino repeats long-standing criticism of Paul Dano

This isn’t Tarantino’s first dig at Dano’s work in the film. He previously described the casting as a “compromise,” saying that Dano simply did not have the same onscreen power as Daniel Day-Lewis. “He’s just not in the level and the caliber of Daniel Day-Lewis,” Tarantino said in an earlier interview.

“If the two characters are meant to be combats throughout the film, then Daniel Day-Lewis is Muhammad Ali and Paul Dano is Jerry Quarry. It is what it is.”

The comparison, likening Dano to an overmatched boxer, has long bothered fans who argue that the actor’s performance is one of the film’s strengths. 

Paul Dano explains the rushed nature of his casting

Paul Dano has spoken openly about the challenging circumstances behind his performance. He was originally hired to play only Paul Sunday, not Eli. But when the actor cast as Eli dropped out, Paul Thomas Anderson asked Dano to take on both roles, leaving him with only a few days to prepare.

“I was cast at the last minute,” Dano once said. “I had three and a half to four days to get ready for the first day. I just went for it, threw myself in there and gave it everything I had. That was just guts and instinct, not a lot of preparation.”

He added that working alongside Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis helped him stay grounded despite the pressure: “I was in good hands with Paul [Thomas Anderson] and Daniel [Day-Lewis]. I felt I had to cut loose and go for it.”