Featured Image Credit: Tristan Fewings/Getty Images/Savion Washington/Variety via Getty Images
Topics: Celebrity, Film and TV, Quentin Tarantino, US News
Kit Roberts
Topics: Celebrity, Film and TV, Quentin Tarantino, US News
Quentin Tarantino has fired back at criticism from Rosanna Arquette, with a scathing letter to the actress.
Arquette previously hit out at how the N-word appears in Tarantino's movies, including Pulp Fiction where she played the role of Jody.
Speaking about the 1994 film in an interview with UK newspaper The Times, Arquette said that she still considers it to be 'iconic', but didn't approve of the use of the slur.
She said: “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 [Tarantino] has been given a hall pass.”
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Arquette added: “It’s not art, it’s just racist and creepy.”
Several of Tarantino's scripts, in particular Django Unchained, feature the slur.
Now, Tarantino has hit back at Arquette's criticism, accusing her of 'disrespecting' him.
In a letter addressed 'Dear Rosanna', which has been shared with UNILAD by representatives of Tarantino, the director accused her of using the criticism to draw media attention to her herself.
He asked Arquette if the 'publicity you're getting from 132 different media outlets writing your name and printing your picture was worth disrespecting me'.
Tarantino went on say that Arquette had been 'thrilled to be a part' of Pulp Fiction, before asking her: "Do you feel this way now?"
In an extraordinary accusation, Tarantino suggested that Arquette had 'trashed' the movie for 'what I suspect is very cynical reasons', before accusing her of having a 'decided lack of class'.
The Kill Bill director went on to say that artists should have an 'esprit de corps'.
Tarantino has previously defended the use of the slur in his movies, including at the 2013 Golden Globes, where he won best screenplay for Django Unchained. The film features the word 110 times, spoken by both black and white characters.
He said: “They think I should soften it, that I should lie, that I should massage. I would never do that when it comes to my characters.”
UNILAD has approached representatives of Quentin Tarantino and Rosanna Arquette for comment.
“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 I 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.”