For many movie fans, Quentin Tarantino is considered one of the greatest directors of all time, but currently he is being criticized from all sides for saying some pretty harsh things about a good actor.
What did Tarantino say? Quentin Tarantino is not only a very famous director thanks to films like Pulp Fiction, Inglourious Basterds, or Kill Bill, but also a very popular one. At the same time, he is someone who often expresses his opinions openly and harshly as a guest in podcasts or interviews. In the past, he has spoken out strongly against The Hunger Games.
In The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, he has now sharply criticized Paul Dano, whom many of you probably know as the Riddler from The Batman. In the podcast, Tarantino mentions the film There Will Be Blood and that it would be ranked number 1 or 2 in his film ranking if Paul Dano weren’t involved. For him, he is a big, huge mistake.
But that’s not all, Tarantino becomes even harsher: He is a weak number […] He is just a weak, weak, uninteresting guy
. He even calls him the weakest male actor in the SAG, which is the Screen Actors Guild, a union for actors. He names Austin Butler as a better actor for the role.
However, he seems to be quite alone in his opinion when looking at the reactions.
Reactions to Tarantino’s Attack
How did people react to Tarantino’s statement? There were reactions from Hollywood to Tarantino’s comments. On x.com, Matt Reeves, the director of The Batman, posted that Dano is an incredible actor and an incredible person
.
The actress Toni Collette posted on Instagram (via x.com) a picture from the film Little Miss Sunshine and edited a crown above Paul Dano. Generally, the internet seems to be on Paul Dano’s side, who has not commented on it yet.
Users like whodheani counter Tarantino’s remarks on TikTok with attacks on the director. He is himself in the SAG and a significantly worse actor, who usually only casts himself in his own films.
A similar point of criticism comes from culture journalist Sian Cain from the Guardian. She says: [Tarantino] has forgotten that he is probably the weakest male actor in the Screen Actors Guild. I’m sorry, Quentin, but Paul Dano is one of the most underrated actors of his generation.
What does MeinMMO film author Nikolas Hernes say about the topic? Everyone has a different opinion about movies or actors, but Tarantino’s words seem less like valid criticism and more like a personal attack.
In my opinion, Paul Dano is a pretty good actor who has played many different roles throughout his career. Think of films like Dumb Money, The Batman, Okja, or Swiss Army Man. These are all different films in which he has portrayed various characters. Not every actor can do that. Those who would rather engage with Tarantino’s films instead of harsh comments can check here: All 9 films by Quentin Tarantino ranked – Which is the best?
