Simu Liu Defends Paul Dano Against Tarantino’s Criticism: ‘Paul Dano Is an Incredible Actor’

Quentin Tarantino recently criticized Paul Dano’s performance in There Will Be Blood, calling it a major flaw in an otherwise highly regarded film.

Speaking on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, Tarantino ranked the 2007 western-thriller as the fifth-best movie of the 21st century. He explained that it could have been higher on his list if not for what he saw as a weak performance.

“And the flaw is Paul Dano,” Tarantino said. “Obviously, it’s supposed to be a two-hander, and it’s also so drastically obvious that it’s not a two-hander. … He is weak sauce, man. He’s a weak sister.”

Tarantino praised Daniel Day-Lewis’ work in the film, which earned the actor an Oscar, and suggested that Day-Lewis didn’t need a strong co-star to carry the movie. “Daniel Day-Lewis shows that he doesn’t need [a strong foil in the movie]. He doesn’t need anything. The movie would’ve had more – there would’ve been more stringiness to the beef. And again, it’s supposed to be a two-hander, and it’s not,” he said.

The host, Bret Easton Ellis, suggested that Day-Lewis’ towering performance might have overshadowed Dano. Tarantino responded harshly, “So you put him with the weakest male actor in SAG? The limpest d**k in the world?”

Not everyone agreed with Tarantino’s view. Actor Simu Liu weighed in on social media, defending Dano. “idk man i think paul dano is an incredible actor,” Liu wrote, pushing back against Tarantino’s comments.

This disagreement has sparked debate among fans and actors alike about Dano’s performance and Tarantino’s harsh critique.

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