Actor Randy Quaid has launched a blistering critique of Anne Hathaways casting in Days of Thunder 2, arguing that the decision betrays the core audience of the NASCAR-themed franchise.
According to the Daily Caller, Quaid, who portrayed car owner Tim Daland in the 1990 original, insisted Hathaway is fundamentally misaligned with the films fanbase. Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for DAYS OF THUNDER NASCAR audience who are MAGA, he wrote on X, making clear that the sequels success depends on respecting the values and tastes of its predominantly conservative viewers.
Quaid argued that the studio should lean into continuity and authenticity rather than Hollywoods current obsession with progressive casting trends. The sexy older chick for Tom in this film needs to be Nicole. Thats the casting that would sell the idea, he declared, urging producers to bring back Nicole Kidman instead of reshaping the franchise to fit liberal sensibilities.
Quaid underscored his frustration by recalling the urgency and craftsmanship behind the original films production. Its interesting because when we made the first one there was also a rush to get it out; editors slept in the cutting room on shifts, he said, before adding, This is a weird thing, like they want it to come out and tank.
In a follow-up post, he laid out what he believes fans truly want from a sequel rooted in Americana and racing culture. If I were in control of production, a real sequel worth watching for DAYS OF THUNDER would be seeing Tom and Nicole together on screen again, he wrote, continuing, We dont need a new girl; we need a new race car! We need Nicole back. Dont be a py, @TomCruise.
Quaid then sharpened his criticism of both Cruise and the casting choice, framing it as a matter of artistic integrity rather than personal animus. You need the original girl. Its not personal; its filmmaking. Anne isnt sexy, because and if you havent noticed, shes pregnant, he argued, after Cruise and Hathaway released a promo video Sunday announcing her role in the film.
The original Days of Thunder paired Tom Cruise with Nicole Kidman and Robert Duvall, and Quaids comments reflect a broader conservative frustration with Hollywoods tendency to sideline legacy characters and right-leaning audiences in favor of fashionable, left-leaning stars.
Login