Quentin Tarantino, the director of films such as Kill Bill and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, has divided opinions after criticizing the performance of Paolo Dano, known for films such as Little Miss Sunshine and The Batman (2025), in his recent appearance on a podcast about cinema.
In the interview, the director says that the movie Black Blood (2007) would be the best movie of the twenty-first century if it were not for the participation of the actor, whom he strongly criticized.
“Sangue Negro would have a good chance of becoming No. 1 or 2 if it didn’t have a major flaw…and the flaw is Paul Dano,” he said.
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Quentin Tarantino divides opinions after criticizing the Hollywood star’s performance
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Tarantino added: “(Paul Dano) is weak, man. He’s the weakest part (of the movie). He’s a weak man. Weak and uninteresting. The weakest actor in the SAG (Hollywood Actors Guild). The lameest man in the world.”
In fact, this wasn’t the first time Tarantino criticized the actor. Previously, the director told Screen Rant that he believed Dano did not have the necessary “abilities” to star in the film.
He said at the time: “He is simply not of the level and ability of Daniel Day-Lewis, and if the two characters are facing each other throughout the movie, Daniel Day-Lewis is Muhammad Ali and Paul Dano is Jerry Corey (referring to one of the famous boxing star’s victories). That is what it is.”
In the film, Paul Dano plays identical twins Eli and Paul Sunday. However, the actor accepted the challenge a few days after filming began, and the actor who would play the other brother ended up abandoning the project days before.
After Tarantino’s statements, other Hollywood figures came forward to defend the actor. “It’s a work of art. And it’s that way because the cast was put together perfectly,” Dillon Fraser, who also starred in The Dark Blood, told TMZ.
“Not only is he a fantastic actor, he’s also an incredible director who exudes control and tremendous empathy. Watch The Wild if you haven’t already,” Mattson Tomlin, screenwriter of The Batman Part II (2027), wrote in Post X.
Sorry Quentin but Paul Dano is one of the most underrated actors of his generation. pic.twitter.com/BN0sYL0sqb
– Quentin Tarantino News (@QTarantino_news) December 3, 2025