“Honoured to Work with Those Actors”: George Clooney says while defending Paul Dano, Owen Wilson, and Matthew Lillard after Tarantino slam

Hollywood was buzzing as George Clooney spoke out in defense of fellow performers Paul Dano, Owen Wilson, and Matthew Lillard, who had been sharply criticized by Quentin Tarantino.

Speaking at the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards on January 10, Clooney admired his co-actors while accepting the Best Actor award for his performance in Jay Kelly.


“By the way, Paul Dano and Owen Wilson and Matthew Lillard, I would be honoured to work with those actors. Honoured,” Clooney addressed the audience. He explained his latest movie, directed by Noah Baumbach, as a film “made by people who love actors that’s an important part. People I’ve known most of my life … actually, most of them are actors. I have a great affinity [for them], and I don’t enjoy watching people be cruel.” He further said, “We are living in a time of cruelty. We don’t need to be adding to it.”

Tarantino’s Criticism and Backlash

In December 2025, Tarantino fueled controversy on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast when he criticized the acting of Dano, Wilson, and Lillard. As per the Dano’s performance in There Will Be Blood, Tarantino stated:

“[It] would stand a good chance at being No 1 or 2 if it didn’t have a big, giant flaw in it … and the flaw is Paul Dano. Obviously, it’s supposed to be a two-hander, but it’s also drastically obvious that it’s not a two-hander. [Dano] is weak sauce, man. He’s a weak sister.”

Tarantino also stated Dano as “such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy,” “the weakest fucking actor in the Screen Actors Guild,” and acknowledged that he had never enjoyed his performance. He went on to mention, “I don’t care for him. I don’t care for Owen Wilson, and I don’t care for Matthew Lillard.”

Support from Clooney and Others

Clooney has personal ties with two of the actors. He earlier shared the screen with Lillard in Alexander Payne’s The Descendants (2011) and with Wilson in Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr Fox (2009), though he has not yet worked with Dano.

After Tarantino’s comments, many of Dano’s former co-workers and fellow performers came to his defense, which includes Ben Stiller, The Batman director Matt Reeves, and Daniel Day-Lewis, whose representatives told The Guardian he agreed with the Instagram fan upload admiring Dano as “one of the best and most talented actors of his generation.”

Talking at a fan convention, Lillard acknowledged the criticism “hurt”: “It fucking sucks. And you wouldn’t say that to Tom Cruise. You wouldn’t say that to somebody who’s a top-line actor in Hollywood. I’m very popular in this room. I’m not very popular in Hollywood. Two totally different microcosms, right? And so, you know, it’s humbling, and it hurts.” Wilson has yet to remark publicly.

Clooney’s Perspective on Kindness in Hollywood

Clooney reflected on the requirement for respect in the industry, citing, “We are living in a time of cruelty, and we don't need to be adding to it. I'm very happy to be here. Very happy to see all of you, and thank you for this, and thank you for... It's gonna be a long, tough couple of years, but we'll all get through it together, okay?”

He also humorously talked about aging and admired his Jay Kelly co-performers Laura Dern and Adam Sandler, citing, “We have been family ever since then,” referencing his long-standing companionship with Dern since Grizzly II: Revenge (1983).

FAQs:

Q1. Who is George Clooney?
George Clooney is an award-winning actor, director, and producer. He is popular for roles in movies such as Ocean’s Eleven and The Descendants.

Q2. Who are Paul Dano, Owen Wilson, and Matthew Lillard?
Paul Dano is an actor popular for There Will Be Blood and Love & Mercy. Owen Wilson and Matthew Lillard are acclaimed actors famous for Midnight in Paris and Scream, respectively.