Rosanna Arquette has criticised Quentin Tarantino‘s use of the N-word in his films, calling it “racist” and “creepy”.
The actress collaborated with the director on 1994 film Pulp Fiction, where she played the role of Jody, and reflected on its legacy.
“It’s iconic, a great film on a lot of levels,” she told The Times, before hitting out at the director’s “hall pass” use of the term in his filmography.
“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.”
This isn’t the first time that Tarantino has been criticised for the use of the N-word in his films, something he responded to in 2022 when asked what he would tell those who think there is too much violence of use of the word in his work.
“You should see [something else],” he told Who’s Talking To Chris Wallace. “Then see something else. If you have a problem with my movies then they aren’t the movies to go see. Apparently I’m not making them for you.”
Director Lee Daniels subsequently responded to this defence, telling CNN: “Quentin, that’s not the right answer.”
He then said: “10 years ago, or 15 years ago, I would have checked it off as artistic, but n***a is our word. That’s my word. You have no right to say that and you have no right to feel that way. Sorry bro.”
Director Spike Lee has also criticised Tarantino, saying around the time of Jackie Brown‘s release in 1997 (via The Hollywood Reporter): “I have a definite problem with Quentin Tarantino’s excessive use of the N-word. And let the record state that I never said that he cannot use that word — I’ve used that word in many of my films — but I think something is wrong with him.”
However, frequent Tarantino collaborator Samuel L. Jackson has defended the director, telling Esquire in 2019: “It’s some bullshit. You can’t just tell a writer he can’t talk, write the words, put the words in the mouths of the people from their ethnicities, the way that they use their words. You cannot do that, because then it becomes an untruth; it’s not honest. It’s just not honest.”
Elsewhere, the director has stoked further controversy in the past year after criticising the acting of Paul Dano, Owen Wilson and Matthew Lillard, which caused a backlash. Lillard most-recently admitted that Tarantino’s words “hurt”.
In other news, it was reported last week that Tarantino’s first ever play will likely debut in London’s West End in January 2027, with the project described as an “old-fashioned British farce”.
The director is also prepping a sequel to Once Upon A Time In Hollywood focused on Brad Pitt‘s character called The Adventures Of Cliff Booth, which he has written but is being directed by David Fincher.