Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino is gearing up for a play in the West End of London, but has been getting a bit of reevaluation from pulp culture circles after some rather rude critiques about a handful of actors (Paul Dano, Owen Wilson, and Matthew Lillard) and now “Pulp Fiction” actress Rosanna Arquette is fed up with the director’s “hall pass” to use the N-word in his movies including the one she was featured in back in 1994.
The veteran actress expressed her frustrations with Tarantino’s casual use of the slur during a chat with the UK outlet The Sunday Times, while promoting her latest project, “The Moment,” a satirical meta film at A24, focusing on the world of singer Charli XCX. Calling the use of the N-word by Tarantino “racist and creepy.”
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“It’s iconic, a great film on a lot of levels. But personally, I am over the use of the N-word; I hate it. I cannot stand that he [Tarantino] has been given a hall pass. It’s not art, it’s just racist and creepy,” Arquette said of the filmmaker’s overuse of the N-word in his films.
Tarantino not only had his characters use the word in a slew of films, but he even wrote himself a cameo in “Pulp Fiction” where he repeatedly uses the N-word.
Not germane to the main topic, but you might also remember that Arquette’s late sister Alexis Arquette (before transitioning and going by Alexis professionally) was also featured in “Pulp Fiction” briefly, in what many had assumed was some sort of nod to Jerry Seinfeld, given Alexis’ costume and hairstyle in the film was seen by some as mirroring the sitcom star.
Arquette recalled her own slimey experience with convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein and alludes that possibly twarthing his gross sexual advances at a hotel (alleges he tried to place her hands on his genitals) may have led to her not earning a back-end deal like other cast members of “Pulp Fiction” (we wouldn’t put it past Weinstein to attempt to hurt career as well after that rebuff).
“I’m the only person who didn’t get a back end [a share of the takings]. Everybody made money except me…I was fortunate because I was not raped. But, boy, was it going there, and I paid a price for saying no, and later I paid a price for telling the truth.”
We have to commend actresses like Arquette for speaking truth to power and being brave enough to publicly discuss her traumatic experience. Also, being able to point out outdated practices like Tarantino’s use of the N-word to come off as “edgy” or give the feeling of street-wise characters, which has bothered audiences and critics alike since “Reservoir Dogs,” if we’re being honest about this (fellow director Spike Lee famously a critic of his use of the slur).
“The Moment” has been playing in theaters for a while now, and you can read The Playlist’s review of the pic right here from our Sundance coverage.
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