Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino sharply responds to actress Rosanna Arquette’s criticism of his use of the N-word in films, calling her remarks disrespectful and opportunistic.
Tarantino’s Direct Rebuttal
The 62-year-old director addresses Arquette’s comments in a pointed statement. He questions whether the widespread media attention from 132 outlets justified her disparaging a film she once embraced. “Dear Rosanna, I hope the publicity you’re getting from 132 different media outlets writing your name and printing your picture was worth disrespecting me and a film I remember quite clearly you were thrilled to be a part of?” Tarantino writes.
He criticizes her for attacking the 1994 classic Pulp Fiction more than three decades later, after accepting the role and payment. “Do you feel this way now? Very possibly,” he states. “After I gave you a job, and you took the money, to trash it for what I suspect is very cynical reasons, shows a decided lack of class, no less honor.”
Tarantino emphasizes the expected camaraderie among collaborators, invoking the French phrase “esprit de corps,” which denotes a shared spirit of enthusiasm and honor within a group. He concludes, “It would appear the objective was accomplished. Congratulations – Q.”
Arquette’s Stance on the Film and Slur
Arquette, 66, who portrayed Jody, the wife of drug dealer Lance (played by Eric Stoltz), in Pulp Fiction, describes the movie as “iconic” and “a great film on a lot of levels.” However, she expresses strong discomfort with the N-word’s roughly 20 uses in the script.
“Personally I am over the use of the N-word – I hate it,” Arquette states in a recent interview. She argues that Tarantino’s status as an auteur does not justify the word’s inclusion. “I cannot stand that [Tarantino] has been given a hall pass. It’s not art, it’s just racist and creepy.”
Arquette’s Reflections on Profits and Weinstein
Arquette reveals she was the only cast member without a share of the film’s massive profits. “Everybody made money except me,” she notes, linking it to an earlier incident of sexual harassment by producer Harvey Weinstein at the Beverly Hills Hotel, before the movie’s release.
One of many women who accused Weinstein during the #MeToo movement, Arquette credits her fortune in rejecting his advances, though she faced professional repercussions. “I was fortunate because I was not raped,” she says. “But, boy, was it going there and I paid a price for saying no, and later I paid a price for telling the truth.” Weinstein received a sex assault conviction in California in 2022.
