Randy Quaid rips into Anne Hathaway over Days of Thunder 2
Randy Quaid rips into Anne Hathaway's casting for the upcoming Days of Thunder sequel, calling her a "horrible choice" for the NASCAR drama. The 75-year-old original cast member blasted Hathaway on X as "woke" and "leftist," urged Tom Cruise to bring back Nicole Kidman, and questioned whether the 2028 follow-up can connect with its core audience.
Quaid spoke out shortly after Cruise and Hathaway appeared in an Instagram Reel announcing the long-awaited sequel. The backlash landed in the middle of a broader celebrity breaking news cycle, but his comments quickly became one of the most talked-about reactions to the casting news.
Key Takeaways
- Randy Quaid criticized Anne Hathaway on X after she and Tom Cruise announced the Days of Thunder sequel.
- Quaid called Hathaway a "horrible choice," described her as "woke" and "leftist," and argued Nicole Kidman should return instead.
- Hathaway, 43, is pregnant with her third child and plans to have the baby before filming begins.
- Cruise will reprise Cole Trickle; Hathaway will play a new engineer and team owner character.
- Quaid has not been asked to reprise his role as team owner Tim Daland from the 1990 original.
Why did Randy Quaid criticize Anne Hathaway's casting?
Quaid, who starred in the original 1990 film alongside Cruise, took to social media Saturday to air his grievances. In one post directed at Cruise, he wrote: "We need Nicole [Kidman] back. Don't be a pussy @TomCruise. You need the original girl. It's not personal; it's filmmaking. Anne isn't sexy, because and if you haven't noticed, she's pregnant."
He followed up with a longer rant, calling Hathaway "a leftist, woke, horrible choice for DAYS OF THUNDER NASCAR audience who are MAGA." Quaid argued the "sexy older chick for Tom in this film needs to be Nicole," adding, "That's the casting that would sell the idea." He also suggested the project seemed designed to fail, writing, "This is a weird thing, like they want it to come out and tank."
What did Quaid say about Nicole Kidman?
Quaid's central pitch was a return for Nicole Kidman, Cruise's co-star and on-screen love interest in the original Days of Thunder. Kidman and Cruise starred together in the 1990 Paramount production but have not worked together since Cruise filed for divorce in 2001.
According to Page Six, Quaid framed Kidman's return as the casting move that would best sell the sequel to fans of the original racing drama.
What do we know about Days of Thunder 2?
Cruise and Hathaway revealed the sequel in an Instagram Reel. Hathaway, who is expecting her third child with husband Adam Shulman, is visibly pregnant in the video. She told Cruise she plans to "have this baby, then make the movie," to which he replied, "That's a good idea."
Cruise will return as NASCAR star Cole Trickle. Hathaway's role is a new character: an engineer and team owner. Cruise, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Tommy Harper are producing, with Jonathan Levine set to direct, according to Deadline. Days of Thunder 2 is scheduled to hit screens on June 2, 2028.
Has Randy Quaid been asked to return?
Quaid played Tim Daland, the racing team owner who recruited Cruise's Trickle in the original film. Page Six reports he has not apparently been asked to reprise that role in the sequel.
His public criticism focused entirely on Hathaway's casting and the absence of Kidman, not on his own involvement in the franchise.