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Last month, during an appearance on "The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast," director Quentin Tarantino praised Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood" but also took a jab at Paul Dano, calling him the film's "flaw" and jokingly labeling him the "weakest actor in SAG" (Screen Actors Guild). Tarantino's comments immediately sparked widespread backlash across Hollywood.
Given Dano's positive reputation in the industry, many of his peers quickly came to his defense. Now, nearly two months later, Dano himself has finally addressed the controversy.
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While attending a 20th-anniversary screening of "Little Miss Sunshine" at this year's Sundance Film Festival, Dano was asked about Tarantino's remarks by Variety. Dano offered a concise response, stating, "That was really nice. I was also incredibly grateful that the world spoke up for me so I didn't have to." Before Dano could fully answer, his "Little Miss Sunshine" co-star Toni Collette interjected with a more direct retort to Tarantino: "Are we really going there? F*** that guy! He must've been high… it was just confusing. Who does that?"
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Dano wasn't the only actor Tarantino criticized on the podcast; he also mentioned Matthew Lillard (pictured above), known for his work in comedies and horror films, and Owen Wilson, stating he "didn't care for" their acting. Both Lillard and Wilson also received significant support from their industry colleagues. While Wilson has yet to comment, Lillard recently told Entertainment Weekly that the outpouring of support felt "like living through your own wake," describing it as deeply moving.
Lillard humorously added, "It's crazy, I kept showing my wife all the posts, trying to convince her that I still have value, that people still like me. Oh well, I guess I'm quite the charmer!"