_Los Angeles, CA — Dec 3, 2025_ — In a fiery segment on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, director Quentin Tarantino ignited a heated debate after labeling Paul Dano’s performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 masterpiece *There Will Be Blood* a “giant flaw” and branding the actor “weak sauce.”During the episode, Tarantino ranked the film fifth on his personal list of 21st‑century movies, praising Daniel Day‑Lewis’s “old‑school craftsmanship” but sharply criticizing Dano’s dual role as brothers Paul and Eli Sunday. “There Will Be Blood would stand a good chance at being #1 or #2 if it didn’t have a big, giant flaw in it … and the flaw is Paul Dano,” he said. “Obviously, it’s supposed to be a two‑hander, but it’s drastically obvious that it’s not. He is weak sauce, man. He’s a weak sister.” He went further, calling Dano “the weakest f—king actor in SAG” and suggested that *Austin Butler* would have been “wonderful” in the role, despite Butler being only 15 at the time of filming ¹ ² ³.Tarantino’s blunt assessment contrasted with the film’s critical legacy. Dano earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal, and his work is widely regarded as a crucial counterpoint to Day‑Lewis’s Daniel Plainview. The director’s comments quickly trended on social media, with fans dubbing him the “Elon Musk of cinema” for his unfiltered, often polarizing opinions ² ⁴.*Industry Reaction*Director Matt Reeves (The Batman) and actor Alec Baldwin publicly defended Dano, with Reeves tweeting, “Paul Dano is an incredible actor, and an incredible person.” Dillon Freasier, who played the child version of H.W. Plainview, told TMZ that the film’s success stems from a perfectly cast ensemble and that Tarantino’s suggestion of Butler was “laughable” given the age gap ⁴ ⁵.Critics argue Tarantino’s critique reflects his personal taste for larger‑than‑life performances, while Dano’s quieter, methodical approach fits Anderson’s vision. “He’s projecting his own preferences onto an objective evaluation,” noted one analysis, highlighting the clash between Tarantino’s flamboyant style and Dano’s understated intensity ⁶.*Context and Fallout*Tarantino’s remarks arrived amid his “top 20 films of the century” discussion, where he also praised *Black Hawk Down*, *Toy Story 3*, and *Dunkirk*. The backlash underscores how a single, harsh comment from an influential director can ripple through a film’s legacy, even one as revered as *There Will Be Blood*. As the conversation continues, Dano’s supporters stress his versatility across projects like _Prisoners_, _Love & Mercy_, and _The Fabelmans_, suggesting the criticism may say more about Tarantino’s taste than Dano’s talent ⁷ ⁸.The episode remains a reminder of cinema’s passionate discourse—where admiration and vitriol often sit side by side. Whether the critique reshapes public perception of Dano’s work or simply fuels another chapter in Tarantino’s outspoken legacy, the dialogue is far from over._Sources: ¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁶_
