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Quentin Tarantino called Paul Dano the “big, giant flaw” in There Will Be Blood, arguing that Daniel Day-Lewis overwhelms him in a film meant to be a two-hander. It was Tarantino’s subjective criticism—not an established verdict on Dano’s acting—and it came alongside strong praise for the film and its director.
What did Tarantino say about Paul Dano?
On The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, while discussing his favorite films of the 21st century, Tarantino placed Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood at No. 5. He said it might have ranked first or second for him if it did not have what he called “a big, giant flaw,” identifying that flaw as Dano. Variety quoted Tarantino’s remarks in its 2025 report: Variety’s account of Tarantino’s comments.
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“Obviously, it’s supposed to be a two-hander. But it’s also drastically obvious that it’s not a two-hander. [Dano] is weak sauce, man. He is the weak sister. [Daniel] is eating him [alive].”
Tarantino also said Austin Butler “would have been wonderful in that role” and described Dano as “such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy.” He clarified that he was “not saying he is giving a terrible performance,” but rather “a non-entity performance,” adding, “I don’t care for him.” Those are Tarantino’s judgments about the performance and his taste, not objective measures of Dano’s ability.
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He criticized Dano’s part, not the film as a whole
The context matters: Tarantino ranked the film fifth on his list and praised its old-Hollywood craftsmanship and Anderson’s handling of the story, according to Variety. His complaint was that Day-Lewis’s Daniel Plainview dominates the screen so thoroughly that Dano’s contribution does not make the film feel like the dramatic pairing Tarantino expected.
In the film, Plainview is an oilman whose ambitions bring him into conflict with the Sunday family. Dano plays twins Paul and Eli Sunday, with Eli serving as a preacher. Tarantino’s “two-hander” criticism focuses on the contrast between Plainview and Dano’s characters; it should be read as one filmmaker’s interpretation of the film’s balance, not a settled consensus.
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How Dano came to play both Sunday brothers
Dano was initially cast as Paul Sunday. The Guardian reported that he took over the role of Eli after Kel O’Neill was removed from the part two weeks into filming, when Anderson decided O’Neill was not the right fit. Dano was 23 at the time, according to The Guardian’s report on the casting history and Tarantino’s criticism. This is reported production background; the cited account does not establish that the change explains Tarantino’s reaction.
Tarantino’s Austin Butler comment was hypothetical. The reporting says he thought Butler would have been good in the role and notes that Butler was 16 when the film was made. It does not say Butler auditioned, was offered the part, or was considered by the production.
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What Paul Dano said after the criticism
At the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, Dano expressed gratitude for the people who defended him. Forbes reported his answer: “That was really nice. I was also incredibly grateful that the world spoke up for me so I didn’t have to.” He did not directly name Tarantino in the quoted response. Forbes also reported supportive comments from Ben Stiller, Simu Liu, Reese Witherspoon, and Matt Reeves; those individual reactions do not establish a unanimous industry view. See Forbes’ report on Dano’s response and the reactions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to understand the dispute
- It is a matter of taste. Tarantino found Dano’s performance uninteresting beside Day-Lewis’s; viewers can disagree about whether that imbalance weakens the film or is part of its design.
- The roles are not identical. Dano plays both Paul and Eli, characters with distinct functions in the story, while Plainview remains its central force.
- The production change is context, not proof. Dano’s taking on Eli during filming is documented, but the available reporting does not tie that decision to Tarantino’s evaluation.
The podcast audio or transcript was not directly reviewed for the cited coverage; the remarks here are attributed through Variety and Guardian reporting.
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- The disk has English audio and subtitles.
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