ENTERTAINMENT

Randy Quaid Slams Anne Hathaway as 'Woke' and 'Horrible Choice' for 'Days of Thunder' Sequel

PUBLISHED Aug 30, 2026, 7:58 PM ET

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Randy Quaid, who starred in the 1990 film "Days of Thunder," has publicly criticized the casting of Anne Hathaway in the upcoming sequel. In a series of posts on X Saturday, Quaid urged Tom Cruise to instead cast his ex-wife, Nicole Kidman, for the role, calling Hathaway a "leftist, woke, horrible choice" for the film's NASCAR audience, which he described as "MAGA" [citation:1][citation:10]. Quaid also made personal remarks about Hathaway, commenting she "isn't sexy" and is pregnant [citation:1][citation:2]. Variety exclusively reported Hathaway's involvement on August 29, with the actress set to play a racing team owner and engineer alongside Cruise, who reprises his role as Cole Trickle [citation:12]. Paramount has scheduled the sequel for a theatrical release on June 2, 2028 [citation:7]. Representatives for Paramount and Hathaway have not responded to requests for comment [citation:9].

By Daniel Hayes | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

On June 27 1990 Days of Thunder film released starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.
On December 23 1990 Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman married after meeting on set.
On February 5 2001 Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman divorced ending their marriage.
On November 16 2024 Cruise reportedly held initial talks with Paramount about a sequel.
On August 29 2026 Paramount officially greenlit sequel during NASCAR's regular-season finale.
On August 29 2026 Variety exclusively reported Anne Hathaway had joined the sequel's cast.
On August 29 2026 Cruise posted a picture with Hathaway confirming her casting.
On August 29 2026 Randy Quaid posted multiple messages on X criticizing the casting.
On June 2 2028 Days of Thunder sequel scheduled for theatrical release in IMAX.
Production and filming are expected to proceed in 2027.

News Intelligence

Immediate US impact: Controversy over casting could polarize audience and generate online debate.
Possible long-term US impact: It may influence public perception of the sequel's appeal.
Most affected groups: NASCAR fans, Hollywood studios, and conservative entertainment consumers.
Reader priority: Assess official statements versus social media opinions for accuracy.