Randy Quaid Slams Days of Thunder 2’s Anne Hathaway Casting

Days of Thunder actor Randy Quaid has taken aim at Anne Hathaway after she was cast alongside Tom Cruise in the film’s just-announced sequel.

“Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for Days of Thunder[‘s] NASCAR audience who are MAGA. The sexy older chick for Tom in this film needs to be Nicole [Kidman]. That’s the casting that would sell the idea,” Quaid, 75, wrote via X on Sunday, August 30. A separate X post from the actor stated that “Anne isn’t sexy, because and if you haven’t noticed, she’s pregnant.” (Hathaway, 43, is expecting her third child with husband Adam Shulman.)

Quaid, who played racing team owner Tim Daland opposite Cruise, 64, and his ex-wife Kidman, 59, in 1990’s Days of Thunder, also directed his criticism of the casting decision towards Cruise himself. “We need Nicole back. Don’t be a p****, @TomCruise. You need the original girl. It’s not personal; it’s filmmaking,” Quaid wrote. (Cruise and Kidman finalized their divorce in 2001 after 10 years of marriage.)

Us has reached out to a representative for Hathaway for comment.

Quaid, who also appeared in Independence Day, Kingpin and Brokeback Mountain, further commented on the sequel’s extended lead time of almost two years. “It’s 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. This is a weird thing, like they want it to come out and tank,” Quaid wrote. (The Days of Thunder sequel is slated for theatrical release in June 2028.)

The posts attracted a mixed response via X, with one social media user commenting, “Pregnant or not, Anne Hathaway is sexy as hell.” Another person commented, “Anne Hathaway is the last person that should be in this movie.”

GettyImages-79114457-Randy-Quaid-Slams-Days-of-Thunder-2s-Anne-Hathaway-Casting.jpg — Randy Quaid Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Quaid, who is a brother to Dennis Quaid, 72, took to X following the Saturday, August 29, announcement of a second Days of Thunder instalment. Cruise, who is set to produce and star in the project with Jerry Bruckheimer reprising his producer role and Jonathan Levine directing, was seen in a video alongside Hathaway to mark the news.

“I think it’s on,” Cruise said into the camera via his Instagram video before introducing Hathaway into the mix. “Annie? It looks ‘on’ to me, don’t you think?”

GettyImages-2289219414-Randy-Quaid-Slams-Days-of-Thunder-2s-Anne-Hathaway-Casting.jpg — Anne Hathaway VALERIE MACON / AFP

Dressed in a white cowboy hat and motorcycle jacket, Hathaway proceeded to wave to the camera before the pair stepped back to reveal a neon car with the script “Days of Thunder: Summer 2028” adorning one side.

“I’m going to have this baby and then we’re going to make this movie,”Hathaway said with a laugh. “That’s a good idea,” Cruise responded. “You have the baby and then we’ll go make the movie.”