George Clooney has publicly thrown his support behind Paul Dano following recent insults made by Quentin Tarantino, making it clear he does not agree with the filmmaker’s remarks and has little patience for what he sees as unnecessary cruelty in the industry.
Clooney addressed the issue while accepting his Best Actor award for Jay Kelly at AARP’s Movies for Grownups Awards on Saturday, using the moment to defend Dano as well as Owen Wilson and Matthew Lillard.
“By the way, Paul Dano and Owen Wilson and Matthew Lillard, I would be honoured to work with those actors. Honoured,” Clooney said from the stage.
He went on to explain that Jay Kelly was created in an environment rooted in respect for performers, calling it “made by people who love actors — that’s an important part.”
Clooney added that many of the people he has known throughout his life are actors and that he has “a great affinity” for them.
“I don’t enjoy watching people be cruel,” he said. “We are living in a time of cruelty. We don’t need to be adding to it.”
Clooney’s comments come a month after Tarantino sparked backlash in December 2025 with harsh criticisms of several actors. The director labeled Dano “the weakest f**king actor in SAG,” said he “can’t stand” Wilson and openly dismissed Lillard.
Tarantino had also taken aim at Clooney in 2024, claiming the Oscar winner was not a true movie star, despite the two having previously worked together on 1996’s From Dusk Till Dawn.
Clooney has addressed that criticism before.
Speaking to GQ, he admitted Tarantino’s comments bothered him, recalling how the director dismissed his status during an interview. Even so, Clooney has continued to focus on collaboration and gratitude in his career.
At the AARP ceremony, Clooney expressed appreciation for director Noah Baumbach and praised the Jay Kelly script, saying, “The script is beautiful. I couldn’t believe my luck that I got to play the part.”
As the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards prepare to air on PBS on Feb. 22, Clooney’s message stood out as a clear show of solidarity, particularly for Paul Dano, at a time when criticism has been loud, and kindness, as he suggested, matters more than ever.
