Paul Dano finally broke his silence after Quentin Tarantino publicly stormed his performance in there will be bloodand his calm and measured response ended up speaking louder than any response.
Rather than escalate the controversy, Dano let the film world’s reaction do the talking, a move many saw as a quiet dismantling of Tarantino’s criticism.
The moment came before the 20th anniversary screening of little miss sunshine at the Sundance Film Festival, where Dano was asked about Tarantino’s comments.
Before she could respond, her co-star Toni Collette intervened forcefully, shutting down the question and making it clear that she had no interest in taking criticism.
Dano himself chose a different route, explaining that he never felt the need to respond publicly when support came in his name.
“That was really nice,” Dano said. Variety. “I also felt incredibly grateful that the world spoke for me so I didn’t have to.”
Tarantino sparked backlash nearly two months earlier when he appeared on Brett Easton Ellis’ podcast, where he discussed his list of the best films of the 21st century.
Although he said there will be blood would have ranked first or second for him, he stated that Dano’s performance pushed him down his list. His comments quickly went viral for their candor.
“Obviously, it’s supposed to be a two-handed game. But it’s also drastically obvious that it’s not a two-handed game,” Tarantino said.
“[Dano] It’s a weak sauce, man. He is the weak sister. [Daniel] is eating it [alive]. Austin Butler would have been wonderful in that role. He’s such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy. Daniel Day-Lewis shows that he does not need a strong rival. The movie needs it. He doesn’t need anything. It’s supposed to be a two-handed game and it’s not! …you put him with the weakest fucking actor in SAG? The lamest idiot in the world?
The comments surprised many in the industry, particularly given Dano’s long list of acclaimed performances and award nominations.
Directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, who worked with Dano on little miss sunshineHe also rejected Tarantino’s opinion. Dayton called the comments a disgrace and suggested Tarantino may have been unsettled by Dano’s crude approach.
Faris highlighted the overwhelming support Dano received and noted how quickly people came out to defend him and emphasize how respected he is.
The reaction ultimately worked in Dano’s favor.
Fans and fellow actors rallied around him, including George Clooney, who publicly said he would be honored to work with Dano and other Tarantino critics.
like him little miss sunshine As the anniversary screening takes place in Park City, the focus has largely shifted from the insult itself to Dano’s work and his calm, nonchalant response that allowed the industry to have the last word for him.
