George Clooney Defends Actors After Quentin Tarantino’s Harsh Critique

George Clooney has made it clear he’s not on board with Quentin Tarantino’s recent comments targeting several actors. The director of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood stirred controversy during his appearance on the Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, where he criticized Paul Dano, Owen Wilson, and Matthew Lillard while discussing his favorite films of the century. Tarantino questioned the casting of Dano in Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood, calling it a major flaw in an otherwise outstanding film. He went on to say he didn’t care for Wilson or Lillard as performers.

“There Will Be Blood would stand a good chance at being 1 or 2 if it didn’t have a big, giant flaw in it... Paul Dano. 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. Austin Butler would have been wonderful in that role. He’s just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy. The weakest f****** actor in [the Screen Actors Guild].”

George Clooney Responds with Praise and Empathy

Clooney, who once starred alongside Tarantino in the 1996 film From Dusk till Dawn, didn’t hold back when asked about the director’s remarks. While accepting the Best Actor award at AARP’s Movies for Grownups Awards for his role in Netflix ’s Jay Kelly, Clooney expressed his respect for the actors Tarantino criticized. He stated he would be “honored” to work with Dano, Wilson, and Lillard, emphasizing the value of kindness in the industry.

“By the way, Paul Dano and Owen Wilson and Matthew Lillard, I would be honored to work with those actors. Honored.”

He continued, “Jay Kelly was made by people who love actors — that’s an important part. People I’ve known most of my life... actually, most of them are actors. I have a great affinity [for them], and I don’t enjoy watching people be cruel. We are living in a time of cruelty. We don’t need to be adding to it.”

Matthew Lillard Shares His Reaction

Matthew Lillard, best known for his role in Scream, also addressed Tarantino’s comments after they made the rounds online. Speaking at GalaxyCon in Columbus, Ohio, Lillard admitted the criticism stung, even if he tried to brush it off. He pointed out the difference between being popular with fans and being recognized in Hollywood, noting how such remarks can be humbling.

“Quentin Tarantino this week said he didn’t like me as an actor. Eh, whatever. Who gives a s***. It hurts your feelings. It f****** sucks. And you wouldn’t say that to Tom Cruise. You wouldn’t say that to somebody who’s a top-line actor in Hollywood. I’m very popular in this room. I’m not very popular in Hollywood. Two totally different microcosms, right? And so, you know, it’s humbling, and it hurts.”

Tarantino’s Broader Criticisms

Tarantino’s appearance on the podcast wasn’t limited to actors. He also took aim at the Hunger Games franchise, accusing author Suzanne Collins of copying the Japanese novel Battle Royale by Koushun Takami. He questioned why there hadn’t been legal action, arguing that critics failed to recognize the similarities because they weren’t familiar with the original Japanese work.

“I do not understand how the Japanese writer didn’t sue Suzanne Collins for every f****** thing she owns. They just ripped off the f****** book. Stupid book critics are not going to go watch a Japanese movie called Battle Royale, so the stupid book critics never called her on it. They talked about how it was the most original f****** thing they’d ever read. As soon as the film critics saw the film, they said, ‘What the f***? This is just Battle Royale except PG!’”