One of Hollywood’s most influential filmmakers, Quentin Tarantino, has revealed his 20 best films of the 21st century on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast. While the list itself features some outstanding cinema, it is his brutally blunt remarks about one of the actors in a top-ranking film that have sent social media into a frenzy. Quentin Tarantino Birthday Special: From Reservoir Dogs to the Hateful Eight, Our Pick of One Terrific Scene From Every Movie Made by QT! Watch Videos.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood (2007) - starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano - sits high among Tarantino’s picks, praised as a modern masterpiece. However, it is Dano’s dual performance as Eli Sunday and his twin brother Paul that has triggered Tarantino’s ire.

Tarantino, director of Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Inglourious Basterds and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, praised Day-Lewis but took a harsh swipe at Dano.

What Quentin Tarantino Has to Say About Paul Dano in 'There Will Be Blood'

Here's what Tarantino has to say about the film, "Daniel Day-Lewis. The old-style craftsmanship quality to the film… It was about dealing with the narrative, dealing with the story, and he did it f**king amazingly." He called the production a uniquely built piece of cinema - a narrative experience without spectacle-driven set pieces, while ranking it fifth in his list.

And it is then he drops the bombshell on Paul Dano, "There Will Be Blood would stand a good chance at being number one or two if it didn’t have a big, giant flaw in it… and the flaw is Paul Dano. (Dano) is weak sauce, man… The weakest f**king actor in SAG.: He even added that Austin Butler would have been 'wonderful' in the role, and reportedly laughed after the final jab.

The criticism felt less like artistic critique and more like a personal attack.

Why Is Tarantino So Harsh on Dano?

His remarks instantly went viral, fuelling heated fan debates. Some accuse Tarantino of being petty and disrespectful towards a widely celebrated performance. Others claim his comments may be tied to Dano’s vocal support for Palestine and condemnation of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. ‘One Battle After Another’ Box Office: Has Leonardo DiCaprio-Paul Thomas Anderson’s Film Become a Theatrical Flop? Here’s What We Know.

A few are amused, wondering if Tarantino simply enjoys stirring controversy.

How Netizens Reacted to Tarantino's Comments to Paul Dano

‘More Talented, Younger, and Far More Beautiful’

‘Tarantino’s Mom’

‘Foot Massage’

‘Doesn’t Love the State of Israel’

‘Embarrassingly Bad’

‘Wrong on So Many Levels’

‘Every Quentin Tarantino Film…’

Interestingly, this is not the first time Tarantino has expressed dislike for Dano’s role in the film, though in past discussions, the criticism felt less vicious. Like, listen to the below...

Tarantino’s Top 20 Films of the 21st Century

Here’s the full list, in the order he announced:

1. Black Hawk Down (Ridley Scott)

2. Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich)

3. Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola)

4. Dunkirk (Christopher Nolan)

5. There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson)

6. Zodiac (David Fincher)

7. Unstoppable (Tony Scott)

8. Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller)

9. Shaun of the Dead (Edgar Wright)

10. Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen)

11. Battle Royale (Kinji Fukasaku)

12. Big Bad Wolves (Aharon Keshales, Navot Papushado)

13. Jackass: The Movie (Jeff Tremaine)

14. School of Rock (Richard Linklater)

15. The Passion of the Christ (Mel Gibson)

16. The Devil’s Rejects (Rob Zombie)

17. Chocolate (Prachya Pinkaew)

18. Moneyball (Bennett Miller)

19. Cabin Fever (Eli Roth)

20. West Side Story (Steven Spielberg)

No Scorsese?

One glaring detail: Tarantino’s list includes no Martin Scorsese films, despite the director releasing several critically acclaimed titles such as The Aviator. The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street, Silence, The Irishman and Killers of the Flower Moon. In his analysis for Spielberg's West Side Story, Tarantino said, "I don’t think Scorsese has made a film this exciting [this century]." Strange...

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 03, 2025 02:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).