Hollywood stars are rallying behind “The Batman” star Paul Dano after director Quentin Tarantino slammed the actor’s abilitiesin a podcast rant this week.
On a recent episode of “The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast,” Tarantino revealed his personal picks for the best movies of the 21st century, citing “There Will Be Blood” as his No. 5 choice.
“Dunkirk,” “Lost in Translation,” “Toy Story 3” and “Black Hawk Down” claimed the top four spots.
Despite praising the Oscar-winning film from Paul Thomas Anderson, which stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Tarantino launched into a lengthy explanation of why it didn’t place higher on his list — criticizing Dano’s performanceat length, calling him the movie’s “big, giant flaw.”
“[Dano] is weak sauce, man. He is the weak sister. [Daniel] is eating him [alive]. Austin Butler would have been wonderful in that role. He’s just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy. Daniel Day-Lewis shows that he doesn’t need a strong foil. The movie needs it. He doesn’t need anything,” Tarantino said. “You put him with the the weakest f–king actor in SAG? The limpest d–k in the world?”
Tarantino’s comments shocked cinephiles, given that Dano is a critically acclaimed actor who’s been nominated for two Emmys, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. His most prominent work includes roles in “Little Miss Sunshine,” “12 Years a Slave,” Steven Spielberg’s “The Fablemans” and his memorable turn as the Riddler in the Robert Pattinson-led “The Batman.”
Following Tarantino’s tirade, Hollywood stars have defended Dano.
Ben Stiller posted on X, “Paul Dano is f-ing brilliant.”
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” star Simu Liu wrote on X, “idk man i think paul dano is an incredible actor.”
“The Batman” director Matt Reeves also chimed in via X, “Paul Dano is an incredible actor, and an incredible person.”
Elsewhere in the DC universe, “The Batman Part II” screenwriter Mattson Tomlin wrote, “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.”
Dano also remains booked and busy: He’s next set to appear in the political thriller “The Wizard of the Kremlin” (which got raves at the Venice Film Festival), and A24’s “The Chaperones.”
Representatives for Tarantino and Dano did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
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