Quentin Tarantino criticizes "There Will Be Blood" star as 'The weakest male actor in SAG'

Quentin Tarantino named There Will Be Blood as his fifth-favorite film of the 21st century, but he admitted one major flaw keeps it from ranking higher. Speaking on the latest episode of The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, the director stated that the 2007 oil-industry drama by Paul Thomas Anderson could easily be first or second on his list if not for one issue: Paul Danos performance.

"There Will Be Blood would be higher if it didnt have a significant flaw, and that flaw is Paul Dano," Tarantino said. He argued that Dano could not match Daniel Day-Lewis Oscar-winning portrayal and described the films two-hander structure as ineffective due to Danos performance.

Continuing his criticism, Tarantino called Dano weak sauce and uninteresting, suggesting that another actor could have succeeded in the role. He specifically mentioned Austin Butler, who would have excelled, noting that Butler was only 16 when the film was released and later starred in Tarantinos Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in 2019.

Ellis attempted to defend Dano, saying that Day-Lewis performance was so monumental that it naturally overshadowed a co-star. Tarantino responded bluntly, emphasizing that Danos work amounted to a non-entity performance, clarifying that it was not terrible, just lacking impact.

When asked if he had enjoyed Dano in any projects, Tarantino replied negatively, also including Owen Wilson and Matthew Lillard in his list of actors he did not favor.

Despite Tarantinos critique, Dano has had a successful career, collaborating with acclaimed directors such as Steven Spielberg (The Fabelmans), Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave), Bong Joon-ho (Okja), Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners), Spike Jonze (Where the Wild Things Are), Kelly Reichardt (Meek's Cutoff), Rian Johnson (Looper), and Ang Lee (Taking Woodstock).

He has also starred alongside major actors including Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Robert De Niro, Adam Sandler, Steve Carell, Robert Pattinson, Michael Caine, and Daniel Radcliffe. Notably, Danos main role in There Will Be Blood came together quickly: originally cast as Paul Sunday, he also took over the role of Eli Sunday after the original actor left.

Danos performance received critical acclaim, earning him a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He lost to Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men, the same film that defeated There Will Be Blood for the 2008 Academy Award for Best Picture.

Author: Sophia Brooks