Several members of the Hollywood fraternity have come out in support of The Batman actor Paul Dano after veteran filmmaker Quentin Tarantino called him the “weakest actor” during a recent podcast.

On the Bret Easton Ellis podcast, the 62-year-old filmmaker ranked Paul Thomas Anderson's Oscar-winning film There Will Be Blood as the fifth best movie of the 21st century, saying that Dano’s performance barred it from receiving the top position.

“There Will Be Blood would stand a good chance at being #1 or #2 if it didn’t have a big, giant flaw in it … and the flaw is Paul Dano,” Tarantino told Bret Easton Ellis on the podcast.

“[Dano] is weak sauce, man. He is the weak sister. Austin Butler would have been wonderful in that role. He’s just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy. The weakest f**king actor in SAG. The limpest d***k in the world?,” the Kill Bill director added.

Tarantino’s comment has come as a shock to cinephiles and Hollywood insiders, considering Dano’s past achievements. The critically-acclaimed actor has been nominated for two Emmys, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. His most popular roles are from films like Little Miss Sunshine, 12 Years a Slave, Steven Spielberg’s The Fablemans and his unforgettable performance as the Riddler in The Batman.

Following his remarks, scores of actors and directors — including his The Batman director Matt Reeves, comedy heavyweight Ben Stiller and his There Will Be Blood co-stars — extended their support to Dano.

“Paul Dano is an incredible actor, and an incredible person,” Matt Reeves wrote on X. Dano played the role of The Riddler in the 2022 film alongside Robert Pattinson as Batman.

“Paul Dano is f-ing brilliant,” wrote Ben Stiller on X.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu tweeted, “Idk man I think Paul Dano is an incredible actor.”

Alec Baldwin shared a video on Instagram, saying, “'I love Paul Dano. He then addressed haters, “If you don't love Paul Dano…” before putting his finger to his lips.

Many of Dano’s fellow co-stars from There Will Be Blood joined hands to take a stand for Dano.

Colleen Foy, who debuted in the film as Dano’s on-screen sister, recalled Tarantino’s reaction to the actor’s performance on the premiere night of the film.

“His incredible performance speaks for itself,” Foy said in a statement. “I sat behind Quentin Tarantino at the Cast & Crew screening and he was legit vibing with Paul’s performance. His recent comments are incongruent with his reaction that night,” she added.

Mattson Tomlin, who is co-writing a sequel to 2022’s The Batman, chimed in, saying, “I am really pleased to see so many people cheering on Paul Dano this week. Not only is he a terrific actor, but he's an astonishing director who exudes control and tremendous empathy.”