Paul Dano finally broke his silence after Quentin Tarantino publicly criticized his performance in There will be bloodand his calm, measured response ended up speaking louder than any applause.
Instead of escalating the controversy, Dano let the film world’s reaction do the talking, a move many saw as a quiet takedown of Tarantino’s criticism.
This moment happened before the 20th anniversary screening of Little Miss Sun at the Sundance Film Festival, where Dano was asked about Tarantino’s remarks.
Before he could even respond, his co-star Toni Collette intervened forcefully, shutting down the question and making it clear that she had no interest in responding to the criticism.
Dano himself chose a different path, explaining that he never felt the need to respond publicly when support was pouring in for him.
“It was really nice,” Dano said Variety. “I was also incredibly grateful that the world was speaking for me so I didn’t have to.”
Tarantino sparked backlash nearly two months earlier when he appeared on Brett Easton Ellis’ podcast, where he discussed his list of the best films of the 21st century.
Although he said There will be blood would have been ranked first or second for him, he claimed that Dano’s performance had moved him down his list. His comments quickly went viral due to their frankness.
“Obviously, it’s supposed to be a two-person game. But it’s also obvious that it’s not a two-person game,” Tarantino said.
“[Dano] It’s weak sauce, man. She’s the weak sister. [Daniel] is eating it [alive]. Austin Butler would have been great in this role. He’s just such a weak, weak, uninspiring guy. Daniel Day-Lewis shows he doesn’t need a strong foil. The film needs it. He doesn’t need anything. It’s supposed to be a two-person game and it’s not! …you put him with the weakest fucking actor in SAG? The softest asshole in the world?
These remarks stunned many in the industry, especially given Dano’s long list of acclaimed performances and award nominations.
Directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, who worked with Dano on Little Miss Sunalso rebuffed Tarantino’s take. Dayton called the comments embarrassing and suggested Tarantino might have been disturbed by Dano’s crude approach.
Faris highlighted the overwhelming support Dano has received, noting how quickly people came forward to defend him and emphasized how respected he is.
The reaction ultimately worked in Dano’s favor.
Fans and fellow actors rallied behind him, including George Clooney, who publicly said he would be honored to work with Dano and other Tarantino critics.
Like the Little Miss Sun The anniversary screening takes place in Park City, with the focus largely shifting from the insult itself to Dano’s body of work and his calm, nonchalant response that left the industry having the last word for him.
