Tarantino's Hit List: 6 Actors He Famously Despises

While most directors might privately grumble about a difficult actor they've worked with, Quentin Tarantino has never been one to hold his tongue—even about performers he's never met on set. Of the six actors he has publicly slammed, he's only directed one. Many in Hollywood would call it a breach of professional etiquette to publicly bash someone you haven't collaborated with, but Tarantino has built a career on not caring what others think. His outspoken nature is legendary, but his recent takedown of a widely respected talent may have been a step too far for some. Still, for those who've followed his career, this is nothing new. The following six performers have all felt the sting of the two-time Oscar winner's public scorn.

Unprovoked Jabs and On-Set Drama

For reasons known only to him, Quentin Tarantino took a completely unprompted shot at Matthew Lillard. The actor, known for roles in everything from Scream to Scooby-Doo, was understandably taken aback by the criticism from one of the industry's biggest names. “It hurts your feelings,” Lillard confessed, adding more bluntly, “It fucking sucks.” For over three decades, Lillard has consistently worked without causing trouble, yet somehow landed a permanent spot on Tarantino's list of disliked actors.

To be fair, Tarantino wasn't alone in his dislike for Lawrence Tierney. During the filming of Reservoir Dogs, Tierney earned a reputation as the most difficult person on set by a wide margin. The director labeled him a “complete lunatic” and went as far as firing him during production. As Tarantino recounted, he told the actor to “take your fat fucking ass off my fucking set.” While Tierney's performance remains in the final cut, the director made it clear he would never work with him again.

When On-Screen Presence Repels

Much like Lillard, Owen Wilson has maintained a long and successful career without making many enemies—except for Tarantino, who seems to find his very presence offensive. In a strange twist, the director named Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris one of his favorite films of the 21st century, despite its star. “I really can’t stand Owen Wilson,” he stated plainly. “I mean, I can’t stand him.” The comment was entirely gratuitous and added nothing to his praise of the film.

Best known for his role as Virgil ‘The Turk’ Sollozzo in The Godfather, character actor Al Lettieri failed to impress Tarantino in his later work. Specifically, his villainous turn as Rudy Butler in Sam Peckinpah’s The Getaway drew the director's ire. “I’m not a fan,” Tarantino said, before elaborating with more intensity. “I find his performance physically repellent,” he explained. “Now, for a character like Rudy, that should be a good thing, no? No. It’s still a movie. I still should want to watch the movie and enjoy it.”

You wouldn't expect a retired actor who was most active in the 1980s to inspire such passionate hatred, but Miles Chapin gets under Tarantino's skin. The filmmaker once called him “an actor I’ve always been allergic to.” He specifically pointed to Chapin's role in the 1982 horror movie The Funhouse, describing his performance as “as annoying as usual.” Apparently, Chapin also committed the unforgivable fashion crime of wearing a sweater tied around his neck, which Tarantino said was enough “to make me hate him on sight.”

Crowning the 'Weakest' Actor

The top spot on this list arguably belongs to Paul Dano. Despite being one of the most consistently compelling and praised actors of his generation, Tarantino singled him out as the single “weakest” member of the Screen Actors Guild. Dano, who generally avoids the Hollywood spotlight, is likely unaware of the controversy. But in a final ironic twist, there's at least one other SAG member who many would consider a far worse actor than Dano: Quentin Tarantino himself.