Paul Dano Finally Speaks Out Against Quentin Tarantino's Scathing Review, Reveals He's 'Incredibly Grateful' for Support
Actor Paul Dano has broken his silence on Quentin Tarantino's scathing review of his performance in Paul Thomas Anderson's 2007 film "There Will Be Blood." The director infamously called Dano the "weakest fucking actor in SAG" and ranked his performance as one of his lowest. However, despite the harsh words, Dano has taken them in stride, saying he was "incredibly grateful that the world spoke up for me so I didn’t have to."
In an exclusive interview with Variety, Dano expressed his appreciation for the outpouring of support from fans and fellow industry professionals who came to his defense. When asked about Tarantino's comment, Dano said it was "really nice" and allowed him to focus on the positive tributes that poured in across social media.
The film's directors, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, also weighed in on the controversy, calling Tarantino's remarks an "embarrassment." Dayton stated that he believed Dano's rawness of performance made Tarantino uncomfortable, adding that it couldn't be easily filed under a traditional two-hander. Faris noted that she was struck by the people who came out to defend Paul, saying he is loved and admired by many.
Tarantino ignited this firestorm during an appearance on Brett Easton Ellis's podcast to discuss his ranking of the best movies of the 21st century. He revealed that "There Will Be Blood" would have been his first or second choice but Dano's performance pushed it to fifth on his list, which he claimed was a mistake.
Dano's co-star Toni Collette had previously spoken out against Tarantino's comment, calling him confusing and saying the director must have been high. George Clooney even reached out to support Dano, accepting a prize from AARP earlier this year and stating that he would be honored to work with him.
The controversy surrounding Tarantino's review has become an unlikely opportunity for Paul Dano to shine. The 20th anniversary screening of "Little Miss Sunshine" will take place at Sundance Film Festival, marking the film's remarkable run as a box office hit and Oscar winner. As Variety continues to cover this event, it's clear that Paul Dano is not letting Tarantino's words define him – instead, he's basking in the love and support of the industry and fans worldwide.
Actor Paul Dano has broken his silence on Quentin Tarantino's scathing review of his performance in Paul Thomas Anderson's 2007 film "There Will Be Blood." The director infamously called Dano the "weakest fucking actor in SAG" and ranked his performance as one of his lowest. However, despite the harsh words, Dano has taken them in stride, saying he was "incredibly grateful that the world spoke up for me so I didn’t have to."
In an exclusive interview with Variety, Dano expressed his appreciation for the outpouring of support from fans and fellow industry professionals who came to his defense. When asked about Tarantino's comment, Dano said it was "really nice" and allowed him to focus on the positive tributes that poured in across social media.
The film's directors, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, also weighed in on the controversy, calling Tarantino's remarks an "embarrassment." Dayton stated that he believed Dano's rawness of performance made Tarantino uncomfortable, adding that it couldn't be easily filed under a traditional two-hander. Faris noted that she was struck by the people who came out to defend Paul, saying he is loved and admired by many.
Tarantino ignited this firestorm during an appearance on Brett Easton Ellis's podcast to discuss his ranking of the best movies of the 21st century. He revealed that "There Will Be Blood" would have been his first or second choice but Dano's performance pushed it to fifth on his list, which he claimed was a mistake.
Dano's co-star Toni Collette had previously spoken out against Tarantino's comment, calling him confusing and saying the director must have been high. George Clooney even reached out to support Dano, accepting a prize from AARP earlier this year and stating that he would be honored to work with him.
The controversy surrounding Tarantino's review has become an unlikely opportunity for Paul Dano to shine. The 20th anniversary screening of "Little Miss Sunshine" will take place at Sundance Film Festival, marking the film's remarkable run as a box office hit and Oscar winner. As Variety continues to cover this event, it's clear that Paul Dano is not letting Tarantino's words define him – instead, he's basking in the love and support of the industry and fans worldwide.
I mean, can you believe Quentin Tarantino went there? 
Like, what even is wrong with being honest, but come on, Paul Dano! 
At least he took it like a champ and showed appreciation for the love from fans and fellow actors. It's awesome to see people standing up for each other in the industry, especially after that harsh review. I can imagine how tough it must have been for Paul, but instead of letting it bring him down, he chose to focus on the positives 
. Now, his film "Little Miss Sunshine" is getting all this love at Sundance Film Festival and it's a great reminder that talent speaks louder than any harsh words 
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. tarantino's harsh words might've sparked a firestorm but it just showed how much ppl care about him 
. idk what he said in that podcast tho, is his ranking of the best movies of the 21st century even for real? 
i mean we all know tarantino can be kinda toxic sometimes 
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. it's like he brought this raw energy to the role that really resonated with people 
. and omg toni collette's comment about tarantino being high? 
. acknowledging the love and support from fans and industry pros is everything 
.
! those two are def on my list of fave actor duos 
. "little miss sunshine" is such an underrated film 
but it's still amazing to see how much it's held up over the years 
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. I mean, think about it - Paul Dano gets trashed by Tarantino on his podcast, but then suddenly everyone's like "oh no, poor Paul" 
. And what really gets my goat is that nobody's touching on the fact that Tarantino himself changed his mind about how bad Dano was... like, only after some fans spoke up for him 
. Give me a break! I'm not buying it 
. I think what really matters here is how the film community came together to defend him 
. Toni Collette, George Clooney - it's amazing to see industry pros show love and support for each other 
. And it just goes to show that even if some people might say something hurtful, kindness and gratitude can shine through 
. I'm all about celebrating the good stuff in our favorite actors' careers 
.
i mean i dont blame him one bit for not stooping to tarantino's level, but its dope that he's choosing to focus on all the love and support he's getting from fans and fellow industry pros instead of feeding into it. like tarantino might've called dano out, but pauls got a whole squad cheering him on 
I think it's crazy how one person can stir up so much drama just by saying something negative about another... 
I gotta say, I'm low-key impressed by how he handled it. Like, who needs a snarky response when you can just take the L and keep it moving? His gratitude for all the love from fans and industry peeps is super refreshing! And can we talk about Toni Collette calling out Tarantino on his confusing comment? 
tarantino might think he's all high & mighty w/ his fancy filmmaking skills but at the end of the day, hes just a hater 
. I'm just happy to see Dano shining in his own right, and it's awesome that he gets to celebrate "Little Miss Sunshine" at Sundance 
. And can you even imagine having a publicist deal with that kind of drama? 
Tarantino might've been harsh, but it sounds like he was just trying to stir the pot, and Paul just wasn't having it 
like tarantino is just so extra with his harsh comments but paul is taking it all in stride and i am living for his response 
i mean pauls performance was raw and real and thats what makes his acting so special 
. Anyway, I do love how Paul Dano is taking this all in stride and focusing on the positive – that's what we should all be doing