Actor Randy Quaid has publicly slammed Paramount’s decision to cast Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway in the upcoming sequel Days of Thunder 2. Quaid, who played racing team owner Tim Daland in the 1990 original, took to social media to criticize the casting decision shortly after Tom Cruise announced the project.
Writing on X, the 75-year-old actor claimed that Hathaway is out of touch with the film’s core audience.
The “Woke” Accusation: Quaid posted that Hathaway is a “leftist, woke, horrible choice” for the NASCAR fan base.
Pushing for Nicole Kidman: He argued that Cruise’s ex-wife Nicole Kidman—who starred as Dr. Claire Lewicki in the original 1990 film—should reprise her role instead, tweeting, “The sexy older chick for Tom in this film needs to be Nicole. That’s the casting that would sell the idea.”
Direct Callouts: Quaid further challenged lead actor and producer Tom Cruise directly, urging him not to introduce a new female lead and focus on reuniting the original stars.
Despite Quaid’s complaints, production for Days of Thunder 2 is moving forward under director Jonathan Levine and producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Paramount confirmed the sequel is slated for a June 2028 theatrical release.
