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Anne Hathaway has a packed 2026 ahead of her. The Oscar winner is set to appear in five films this year, including The Odyssey — a movie already tracking toward a billion dollars at the box office and, if buzz is right, a Best Picture contender. But none of that seems to matter to Randy Quaid.
The former Days of Thunder actor, who played racing team owner Tim Daland in the 1990 original, isn’t happy about who’s starring opposite Tom Cruise in the upcoming sequel. He’s made that pretty clear on social media.
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Quaid’s issue? He doesn’t think Hathaway is “sexy” enough for the role, and he’s called her a “woke leftist” who doesn’t fit what he sees as the film’s core audience.
His preferred pick would’ve been Nicole Kidman, reprising her role as Dr. Claire Lewicki from the original film.
What Quaid actually said
“We need Nicole back. Don’t be a p—-, @TomCruise,” Quaid tweeted. “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.”
“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. We don’t need a new girl; we need a new race car! Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for Days of Thunder NASCAR audience who are MAGA. The sexy older chick for Tom in this film needs to be Nicole.”
Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for DAYS OF THUNDER NASCAR audience who are MAGA. The sexy older chick for Tom in this film needs to be Nicole. That’s the casting that would sell the idea. It’s interesting because when we made the first one there was also a…
— Randy Quaid (@RandyRRQuaid) August 29, 2026
That wasn’t the end of it, either.
Quaid kept going into the following week, this time invoking the late Tony Scott, who directed the original Days of Thunder back in 1990. According to Quaid, Scott — known for his high-energy, star-driven action films — would never have gone with Hathaway.
“Tony Scott, whose style I loved — I also loved working with him — would never cast Anne in a million years,” Quaid wrote. “Tony was all about making well-made films with great actors who had sex appeal. A high-octane MAGA woman was Tony’s thing. He could never get what he wanted for DAYS OF THUNDER out of woke lefty schlump Anne; and trying to cut around her would be hell for everyone.”
Tony Scott, whose style I loved — I also loved working with him — would never cast Anne in a million years. Tony was all about making well-made films with great actors who had sex appeal. A high-octane MAGA woman was Tony’s thing. He could never get what he wanted for DAYS OF…
— Randy Quaid (@RandyRRQuaid) August 31, 2026
The film itself
Whatever Quaid thinks, production is moving forward. Jonathan Levine is directing the sequel, with Cruise and Jerry Bruckheimer producing — the same pairing behind the first film, plus more recent hits like Top Gun: Maverick. An IMAX release is set for June 2, 2028.
Hathaway, for her part, addressed the timeline in the announcement video for the project. She’s currently expecting another child, and said filming will start once she’s recovered from the birth.
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