Lars Von Trier’s Blunt Critique: Why He Can’t Stand Ron Howard

Is it really possible for someone to have a strong dislike for Ron Howard? Sure, you might not be a fan of every film he’s directed—some of his movies have their fair share of critics—but as a person and a filmmaker, Howard has rarely sparked controversy or made enemies in Hollywood. With a career spanning over seventy years since his first on-screen appearance, and more than fifty years since he started directing, it’s tough to find anyone in the industry with a bad word to say about him.

That doesn’t mean he’s above criticism. Howard has directed more than two dozen films, yet he’s never really developed a signature style—and he doesn’t seem interested in doing so. While not every director needs to be an auteur, and Howard’s box office numbers speak for themselves, a little creative flair can make a big difference. After stepping away from acting in the 1980s, he left behind two hit TV shows, worked alongside some of the biggest names in film, won a pair of Oscars, and runs a successful production company. He’s even shown he can poke fun at himself, as seen in The Studio. Howard’s reputation is about as wholesome and uncontroversial as it gets, and even in his seventies, he still carries that “aw shucks” charm from his days on The Andy Griffith Show.

Clashing Creative Worlds

So, who could possibly hold a grudge against someone so universally liked? Enter Lars Von Trier. If you were to cast Von Trier as the Wario to Howard’s Mario, you wouldn’t be far off. The two directors couldn’t be more different: Von Trier is known for pushing boundaries and stirring up controversy, while Howard is the definition of a safe bet for studios. Maybe that’s why Von Trier felt compelled to share his harsh opinion with Howard’s daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard, when she joined the cast of Manderlay.

Bryce Dallas Howard expected the unexpected when working with Von Trier, but his approach still caught her off guard.

“He started insulting me,”

she remembered.

“‘Your father’s a terrible filmmaker.’ I went, ‘Lars, what are you trying to see?’ And he said, ‘Your angry face. I don’t know what it looks like.’”

In true Von Trier fashion, he then threw a glass of water in her face. It’s hard not to wonder if he cast her just to have the chance to criticize her father’s work directly, since it’s unlikely the two directors would ever cross paths given their vastly different approaches to filmmaking.

Polar Opposites in Cinema

Howard may not be the most daring or innovative director out there, but calling him “terrible” seems like a stretch. Still, Von Trier has always marched to the beat of his own drum, and he’s never been one to hold back his opinions—no matter how blunt or controversial they might be.