Matt Reeves Stands By Paul Dano After Tarantino’s Critique
Matt Reeves has spoken out in support of Paul Dano after Quentin Tarantino’s recent remarks about Dano’s role in There Will Be Blood sparked a wave of reactions from Hollywood insiders.
Matt Reeves, the director behind The Batman, has stepped up to back Paul Dano following some pointed comments from Quentin Tarantino about Dano’s performance in There Will Be Blood. The conversation kicked off when Tarantino appeared on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, where he rattled off his top 20 films of the 21st century. When he got to his fifth pick, he didn’t hold back on his thoughts about the cast.
Tarantino had plenty of praise for Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 drama, which features Daniel Day-Lewis as a relentless oilman. But he didn’t mince words about Dano’s part in the film.
“There Will Be Blood would stand a good chance at being one or two if it didn’t have a big, giant flaw in it … and the flaw is Paul Dano.”
He went on,
“He is weak sauce, man. He’s a weak sister. Austin Butler would have been wonderful in that role. [Dano is] just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy. The weakest fucking actor in SAG [Screen Actors Guild].”
Hollywood Rallies Around Dano
The comments didn’t go unnoticed. A number of industry figures have since come out in support of Dano, with Reeves among the first to respond. On December 4th, Reeves posted on social media,
“Paul Dano is an incredible actor, and an incredible person.”
Reeves and Dano previously worked together on The Batman, where Dano played the Riddler opposite Robert Pattinson’s take on the caped crusader.
Reeves wasn’t the only one to weigh in. The screenwriter for The Batman sequel also joined the conversation, writing,
“I am really pleased to see so many people cheer on Paul Dano this week. Not only is he a terrific actor, but he’s an astonishing director who exudes control and tremendous empathy. Check out ‘Wildlife’ if you haven’t seen it.”
Support From Industry Mates
Ben Stiller also chimed in after catching wind of Tarantino’s spray, simply posting,
“Paul Dano is fucking brilliant.”
The groundswell of support from Hollywood locals has been hard to miss, with many keen to highlight Dano’s talent and character.
Despite the noise, Dano himself hasn’t made any public comment about the situation. The original promo for There Will Be Blood continues to do the rounds, as punters revisit the film in light of the renewed attention.