Quentin Tarantino is firing back after Rosanna Arquette criticized his use of the N-word in his films during a recent interview.
In a career-spanning conversation with The Sunday Times, Arquette discussed her minor role in Tarantino’s 1994 black comedy, “Pulp Fiction,” saying that while it’s “a great film on a lot of levels,” she generally disapproves of the director’s repeated use of the racial slur in his films.
“Personally I am over the use of the N-word — I hate it,” Arquette said in the interview, published on Saturday. “I cannot stand that he [Tarantino] has been given a hall pass. It’s not art, it’s just racist and creepy.”
On Monday, Tarantino responded to Arquette’s criticism in a letter, calling out the actor for trashing the film and thus showing “a decided lack of class, no less honor.”
“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?” the writer-director wrote in his statement, addressed directly to Arquette. (In the movie, Arquette played Jody, wife to Eric Stoltz’s drug dealer character Lance, and appears in scenes with John Travolta’s Vincent Vega.)
“Do you feel this way now? Very possibly,” Tarantino continued. “But 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.”
Arquette’s criticism of Taratinto’s use of the N-word is far from the first expressed by other industry veterans and audiences. While the racial slur is uttered in “Pulp Fiction” about 20 times, Tarantino’s critics often cite “Django Unchained” as a problem since it features the racial slur nearly 110 times. However, Tarantino’s use of the N-word in his screenplays has long been defended by that film’s star Jamie Foxx and his frequent collaborator Samuel L. Jackson, who has appeared in nearly every Tarantino feature film to date, including “Pulp Fiction.”
Read Tarantino’s response in full below:
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?
Do you feel this way now?
Very possibly.
But 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.
There is supposed to be an esprit de corps between artistic colleagues.
But it would appear the objective was accomplished.
Congratulations
Q