Randy Quaid Slams Anne Hathaway's Casting in Days of Thunder Sequel, Urges Tom Cruise to Bring Back Nicole Kidman

Randy Quaid has taken to X to attack Anne Hathaway's casting in the upcoming Days of Thunder sequel, calling her a "leftist, woke, horrible choice" and urging Tom Cruise to bring back Nicole Kidman instead.

Quaid, who played team owner Tim Daland in the original 1990 film, did not hold back in his posts. He told Cruise directly: "We need Nicole back" and "You need the original girl." He also claimed Hathaway was "not sexy" and described her as pregnant, according to Variety.

Hathaway joined Cruise in the sequel, which Paramount has scheduled for a June 2028 theatrical release. The film was shot for Imax, the large-format cinema system known for towering screens and immersive sound.

The original Days of Thunder, directed by the late Tony Scott, starred Cruise as Cole Trickle, a hotshot stock-car driver recruited by Quaid's Daland. Kidman played Dr. Claire Lewicki, a neurosurgeon who becomes Trickle's love interest. The film was released in 1990 and became a cultural touchstone for racing fans — though it arrived to mixed reviews and earned roughly $82 million at the domestic box office, a modest result relative to its production budget.

Quaid's outburst lands at an odd angle to the production itself. His character, Tim Daland, has not been confirmed for the sequel, and there is no indication from Paramount that he is involved. His social media posts read as a personal appeal to Cruise rather than an insider's critique — he is a cast member of the original film voicing an opinion, not a participant in the new one.

The decision to cast Hathaway opposite Cruise pairs two of Hollywood's most bankable stars. Hathaway, an Oscar winner for Les Misérables, has in recent years anchored both commercial hits and prestige projects. Cruise, whose career has been defined by a willingness to perform his own stunts and commit to theatrical spectacle, remains one of the few actors whose name alone can open a film globally.

For fans of the original, Quaid's plea to bring back Kidman taps into a familiar nostalgia. Kidman and Cruise were married at the time of the first film's release, and their on-screen chemistry was part of what gave Days of Thunder its romantic subplot. The couple divorced in 2001.

Whether Paramount or Cruise responds to Quaid's comments remains an open question. Studios typically do not engage with social-media provocations about casting decisions, and Paramount has not issued a statement. The sequel is still nearly two years from its planned release, which leaves plenty of runway for further announcements — and further opinions.