Paul Dano There Will Be Blood performances have long been celebrated for their intensity and nuance, but Quentin Tarantino recently labeled Dano the “giant flaw” in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 epic. During a Bret Easton Ellis podcast, Tarantino ranked There Will Be Blood No. 5 among his top 21st-century films but criticized Dano’s dual role as twins Paul and Eli Sunday, calling him a “weak, weak uninteresting guy” who made it “drastically obvious” the film wasn’t a true two-hander opposite Daniel Day-Lewis’s towering Daniel Plainview.
Paul Dano There Will Be Blood Casting Drama
Originally cast only as the quiet Paul Sunday, Paul Dano There Will Be Blood commitment deepened when Kel O’Neill was fired two weeks into filming for not fitting as the scheming preacher Eli. At 23, Dano shouldered both roles, transforming from meek landowner to sanctimonious revivalist in a performance that pivots the film’s final act. Tarantino suggested 16-year-old Austin Butler as ideal Eli, ignoring Dano’s challenging circumstances and the raw authenticity he brought to the character’s barely concealed greed.
Day-Lewis’s gargantuan portrayal naturally overshadows, as Ellis noted, but Dano’s pitiful intensity—especially Eli’s humiliation in the bowling alley scene—perfectly contrasts Plainview’s rapacious dominance. Tarantino dismissed Dano as “non-entity,” grouping him with Owen Wilson and Matthew Lillard as unlikable “twitchy white guys,” despite Dano’s acclaim in Love & Mercy, Prisoners, Little Miss Sunshine, The Batman, and The Fabelmans.
Paul Dano There Will Be Blood Legacy and Critical Acclaim
Paul Dano There Will Be Blood role cemented his reputation as cinema’s most versatile supporting actor, often touted as Oscar’s biggest snub. His clay-like face and amorphous presence suit complex anti-heroes, delivering unhinged energy (Batman Riddler) or gentle humanity (Fabelmans). There Will Be Blood earned eight Oscar nominations, winning two (Day-Lewis, cinematography), with Dano’s work fueling debates on ensemble dynamics versus leads.
The film’s showdowns—Eli’s baptism humiliation, the oil derrick fire, final confrontation—thrive on Dano’s ability to embody fanaticism masking avarice, mirroring Plainview’s capitalism run amok. Critics praise how Paul Dano There Will Be Blood portrayal elevates Anderson’s exploration of American greed, religion, and industry.
Tarantino’s Hot Take vs. Paul Dano There Will Be Blood Defense
Tarantino’s critique sparked backlash, with fans defending Dano’s subtlety against Day-Lewis’s force. His casting last-minute success underscores There Will Be Blood’s improvisational brilliance, much like Tarantino’s own stylistic risks. Dano rarely plays heroes, but his transformative range ensures compelling roles ahead.
Beyond critique, Paul Dano There Will Be Blood endures as a career highlight in a film Tarantino admires (No. 5 all-time), proving divisive performances often define masterpieces.
Paul Dano’s Career Post There Will Be Blood
Since 2007, Dano has shone in Prisoners (intense kidnapper), Love & Mercy (Brian Wilson), The Batman (Riddler), and Oppenheimer (minor but pivotal). His There Will Be Blood work remains a benchmark for embodying moral ambiguity in epic cinema.
Paul Dano There Will Be Blood discussion highlights subjective taste—Tarantino favors bombast, but Dano’s restraint amplifies the film’s power. As opinions vary, the performance’s impact endures.