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Matthew Lillard isn’t holding back. After Quentin Tarantino took a swipe at his career.
A week of sharp opinions from Quentin Tarantino has left more than one performer stung.
The filmmaker’s recent remarks reignited debates about how blunt criticism lands in Hollywood.
During a podcast appearance, Tarantino singled out several actors while breaking down his favorite films of the past two decades.
His comments quickly spread, drawing reactions both online and from those named.
Tarantino’s critique
Speaking on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, the Pulp Fiction director explained why Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 film There Will Be Blood narrowly missed becoming his top movie of the 21st century.
According to the podcast interview, Tarantino said the film’s “giant flaw” was actor Paul Dano, calling his performance “weak sauce.” Dano portrayed twins Paul and Eli Sunday in the period drama.
As reported in the discussion, Tarantino also added two more actors to his list of dislikes. “I don’t care for him [Paul Dano], I don’t care for Owen Wilson, and I don’t care for Matthew Lillard,” he said, comments that circulated widely throughout the week.
Lillard responds
Entertainment Weekly reported that Matthew Lillard addressed the remarks during a panel at GalaxyCon in Columbus, Ohio.
The Scream and Five Nights at Freddy’s actor told fans he had seen the comments. “Quentin Tarantino this week said he didn’t like me as an actor,” he said. “Eh, whatever. Who gives a s**t?”
But he went on to acknowledge the sting. “The point is, is that, it hurts your feelings. It f***ing sucks,” Lillard told attendees.
He added that such blunt criticism would never be directed at someone “who’s a top-line actor in Hollywood,” noting the difference between fan admiration and industry standing.
A fan shouting “we love you!” drew cheers, briefly lifting the mood inside the hall.
careers diverge
Despite feeling sidelined within the industry, Lillard has major projects ahead. He will return as Stu Macher in Scream 7 and appear as a villain in Season 2 of Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+.
Tarantino, meanwhile, faced backlash from Dano supporters and industry colleagues after the podcast aired.
His most recent work includes The Lost Chapter: Yuki’s Revenge, an anime short tied to Kill Bill that debuted inside Fortnite following a collaboration.
Sources: IGN Nordic, Entertainment Weekly, patreon/breteastonellispodcast, Tiktok/little_spooks
