George Clooney Slams Tarantino’s ‘Cruel’ Remarks About Paul Dano and More

George Clooney Stands Up for Fellow Actors After They Face Harsh Criticism From Director Quentin Tarantino.

Clooney, 64, was named best actor at the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards for his role in Jay Kelly on Saturday, January 10 and took a moment to say hello Paul Dano, Matthew Lillard And Owen Wilson.

“By the way, Paul Dano, Owen Wilson and Matthew Lillard, I would be honored to work with these actors. Honored,” the actor said, according to Variety.

The Oscar winner said his latest film, in which he plays a famous Hollywood actor, was “made by people who love actors – that’s an important part. People I’ve known most of my life… in fact, most of them are actors. I have a great affinity with [for them]and I don’t like to see people being cruel.

“We live in a time of cruelty,” the star continued. “We don’t need to add more.”

In December 2025, Tarantino, 62 years old, took aim at Dano and more.

Speaking on “The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast,” the Kill Bill The director called Dano “weak sauce,” adding, “He’s such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy. » He then called Dano “the weakest fucking actor in SAG.”

The filmmaker also said he “can’t stand” Wilson and that he doesn’t “care” about Lillard.

“Oddly enough, I really can’t stand Owen Wilson. I mean, I can’t stand him,” he said of Wilson, despite being nominated Midnight in Paris one of his favorite films of the last century.

Lillard responded to Tarantino’s comments during a December appearance at GalaxyCon in Columbus, Ohio, according to Weekly Entertainment.

“Quentin Tarantino said this week that he didn’t like me as an actor. Eh, whatever. Who gives a damn,” said the Shout said the actor.

He then added: “It hurts you. It really sucks. And you wouldn’t say that to Tom Cruise. You wouldn’t say that to someone who is an A-list actor in Hollywood.

Clooney and Tarantino have previously exchanged tense comments in the media. In July 2023, Tarantino insinuated that he did not consider Clooney a major movie star, unlike Cruise, Brad Pitt And Margot Robbie.

“It’s been a long time since I think George Clooney attracted someone to an audience. When was the last time he had a hit in this millennium?” Tarantino said Deadline.

In August 2024 GQ interview in a magazine, Clooney hit backadmitting that Tarantino’s comments bothered him.

“Quentin has been talking shit about me recently, so I’m a little irritated with him,” the actor said. “He did an interview where he named movie stars and he talked about [Brad Pitt]and someone else, and then this guy says, “Well, what about George?” He responds, “He’s not a movie star.” And then he literally said something like, “Name me a movie since the millennium.” » And I said to myself: “Since the millennium? It’s kind of my whole fucking career.

“So now I’m like, okay, man, fuck you. I don’t mind giving him shit. He gave me shit,” Clooney added.