Quentin Tarantino is once again voicing his criticisms of Paul Dano's performance in There Will Be Blood, the 2007 film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson that has long been celebrated as one of the greats of the 21st century.
In a recent discussion on The Brett Easton Ellis Podcast, Tarantino revisited his thoughts on Dano's portrayal of the dual roles of Eli and Paul Sunday, offering a blunt assessment that may surprise some fans.
Tarantino's Love For There Will Be Blood, Except For Paul Dano's Role
Tarantino, who recently shared his personal list of the Top 20 Movies of the 21st Century, placed There Will Be Blood in fifth.
While the director expressed admiration for the film, particularly the performance of Daniel Day-Lewis, he couldn’t help but highlight what he saw as a significant flaw in Dano's dual portrayal of the Sunday brothers.
According to Tarantino, this performance hindered the movie from claiming a higher spot on his list.
“There Will Be Blood would stand a good chance at being number one or number two if it didn’t have a big, giant flaw in it … and the flaw is Paul Dano,” Tarantino remarked during the podcast.
Tarantino has hit out at Dano. Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty
He continued: “Obviously, it’s supposed to be a two-hander, but it’s also drastically obvious that it’s not a two-hander.
"[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***ing actor in SAG [laughs].”
The seemingly unprovoked attack has got people wondering why Tarantino dislikes Dano so much, with one fan on X asking: "Did Paul Dano f*** Tarantino’s mom or something?"
Tarantino’s Previous Criticisms of Dano’s Performance
This is not the first time Tarantino has openly criticized Dano’s work in There Will Be Blood.
The filmmaker has previously explained that while Dano’s portrayal of the twins wasn’t outright “bad,” he felt it still fell short in comparison to Day-Lewis’s legendary performance.
“He’s just not in the level and the caliber of Daniel Day-Lewis,” Tarantino remarked in an earlier interview.
He further likened the two characters' dynamic to a boxing match, saying: “If the two characters are meant to be combats throughout the film, then Daniel Day-Lewis is Muhammad Ali and Paul Dano is Jerry Corey. It is what it is.”
Paul Dano is a successful actor, despite Tarantino's remarks. Credit: JB Lacroix/Getty
Paul Dano’s Side of the Story: A Last-Minute Casting Change
For his part, Paul Dano’s role in There Will Be Blood was an unexpected one.
Initially cast only to play Paul Sunday, Dano was asked to step in for the role of Eli Sunday when the original actor left the production.
This late casting change left Dano with little time to prepare for the dual roles.
Dano recently shared how quickly he was thrust into the film’s intense atmosphere, revealing: “I was cast at the last minute.
"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. I was in good hands with Paul [Thomas Anderson] and Daniel [Day Lewis], I felt I had to cut loose and go for it.”