Daniel Day-Lewis did not post the Instagram defense of Paul Dano that initially made headlines. The Guardian corrected its report to explain that the praise appeared on a fan-run account; Day-Lewis’s representatives separately confirmed that he endorsed its sentiment. The clarification followed Quentin Tarantino’s criticism of Dano’s performance in There Will Be Blood.
What did Quentin Tarantino say about Paul Dano?
In comments reported in December 2025 on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, Tarantino ranked Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 film There Will Be Blood fifth among his favorite films of the 21st century. He said the film might have ranked first or second if Dano had not played Eli Sunday, calling Dano’s performance the film’s “big, giant flaw.” That was Tarantino’s personal assessment, not an objective judgment of Dano’s acting.
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Tarantino’s criticism was specific to Dano’s role opposite Daniel Day-Lewis, who played oilman Daniel Plainview. It was not a report of a new confrontation between the actors or a personal dispute involving Day-Lewis.
Did Daniel Day-Lewis respond to Tarantino?
According to The Guardian’s corrected account, Day-Lewis’s representatives confirmed that he endorsed the sentiment that Dano was among “the best and most talented actors of his generation.” The Guardian amended its December 9, 2025 report after initially saying Day-Lewis had posted a defense himself. The Instagram account was fan-run, and the representatives’ confirmation—not a direct public statement from Day-Lewis—is the basis for saying he supported the praise.
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The Guardian also reported that Day-Lewis had suggested Dano for There Will Be Blood after the actor originally cast in the role left at short notice. The two had previously worked together on The Ballad of Jack and Rose.
Tarantino praised the film even as he criticized Dano
Tarantino did not dismiss There Will Be Blood as a whole. He praised its craft and storytelling, describing its approach as having “an old Hollywood craftsmanship without trying to be like that.” His high placement of the film and his criticism of Dano’s performance were part of the same set of comments.
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How did Paul Dano respond?
Dano addressed the support in an interview with Variety published January 29, 2026, ahead of a 20th-anniversary screening of Little Miss Sunshine at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. He said: “That was really nice. I was also incredibly grateful that the world spoke up for me so I didn’t have to.”
His response acknowledged the public support without turning the exchange into a further attack on Tarantino.
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