Actor Ethan Hawke spoke out in defense of fellow actor Paul Dano after director Quentin Tarantino publicly criticized Paul's acting.
Ethan Hawke shared his reaction on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, focusing on the wave of support Paul Dano received after the negative comments.
Quentin Tarantino had previously attacked Paul Dano's performance in the 2007 film There Will Be Blood. The director called Paul's portrayal of the character Eli Sunday a "big giant flaw" in the movie.
Quentin Tarantino also used the same podcast appearance to criticize other actors, saying he does not "care" for Matthew Lillard and "can't stand" Owen Wilson.
When discussing the incident with host Joe Rogan, Ethan Hawke suggested that the situation likely revealed to Paul Dano just how many people admire his work.
Ethan Hawke explained his perspective, stating that "anybody that knows Quentin knows he just talks, talks, talks, talks, talk, talks, talks," implying that the director's comments are just part of his nature.
Ethan Hawke then praised his friend: "Anybody that knows Paul knows he's a great, world-class human being."
Paul Dano received support from many other Hollywood figures besides Ethan Hawke, including Alec Baldwin, Ben Stiller, and Simu Liu, all of whom celebrated his skills on social media.
The outpouring of love for Paul Dano countered the single voice of criticism.