In a heartening show of solidarity, veteran Hollywood actor Ethan Hawke has come out in strong support of his colleague Paul Dano. Hawke's praise comes in the wake of recent harsh criticism directed at Dano by famed director Quentin Tarantino, which sparked a wave of backlash and support within the film industry.
Turning Negativity into a Positive Lesson
Speaking candidly on the popular Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Ethan Hawke reflected on the incident. He suggested that the entire episode served as a 'great lesson' in dealing with public negativity. Hawke pointed out that the silver lining was the overwhelming outpouring of love and defence for Dano that followed Tarantino's comments.
'I don't think Paul Dano ever knew that so many people loved him,' Hawke remarked. He described the scenario where Dano had to wake up to find a renowned director like Tarantino making disparaging remarks about him. However, Hawke also noted that 'anyone who knows Quentin knows he just talks and talks.'
The core of Hawke's message was one of resilience and focus. 'You don't have to worry about the negativity people send your way,' he advised, emphasising that the collective support for Dano ultimately overshadowed the initial criticism.
The Spark: Tarantino's Viral Critique
The controversy originated when Quentin Tarantino, the Oscar-winning director of 'Pulp Fiction', appeared on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast. While naming Paul Thomas Anderson's 2007 masterpiece 'There Will Be Blood' as his fifth-favourite 21st-century film, he attached a significant caveat.
Tarantino stated that the film's position would have been much higher if not for what he called a 'big giant flaw' – Paul Dano's performance opposite Daniel Day-Lewis. In his characteristic blunt style, Tarantino criticised the dynamic, saying the film was supposed to be a 'two-hander' but failed because of Dano.
'He is weak sauce, man. He's a weak sister,' Tarantino said, suggesting that actor Austin Butler would have been a better fit for the role. He concluded by calling Dano 'just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy.' These remarks quickly went viral, setting the stage for the industry's response.
Hollywood Rallies Behind Paul Dano
Far from isolating Dano, Tarantino's comments acted as a catalyst for a public display of admiration from his peers. Leading the defence was filmmaker Matt Reeves, who directed Dano as the Riddler in the 2022 blockbuster 'The Batman'.
Reeves took to social media platform X to write, 'Paul Dano is an incredible actor, and an incredible person.' This sentiment was swiftly echoed by comedy star Ben Stiller, who replied with a 'Hallelujah' emoji and posted on his own account, 'Paul Dano is f****** brilliant.'
Adding to the chorus of support was Simu Liu, the star of 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings', who also publicly praised the actor known for his roles in 'The Fabelmans' and 'Swiss Army Man'.
For Ethan Hawke, this collective response was the ultimate takeaway. He summed up his thoughts by reaffirming his high personal regard for Dano, stating simply, 'Anyone who knows Paul knows he's a world-class human being.' The episode stands as a testament to how public criticism can sometimes reveal the depth of respect and camaraderie that exists behind the scenes in Hollywood.
