Some actors have to go through rounds and rounds of auditions, callbacks, screen tests, chemistry tests and more to land a major movie role. ForJohn TavoltainPulp Fiction, all it took was a small conversation about accounting and personal finances.
Quentin Tarantino’s seminalPulp-Fictionrecently celebrated its 30th anniversary at theTCM Classic FIlm Festival. The event saw the film’s stars, John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, and Harvey Keitel, reunite to celebrate the film’s landmark birthday. During the interview, Travolta discussed the unusual reason he was cast as Vincent Vega in the film. Travolta said he first met Tarantino after getting a call from his agent about a"young new director, that’s directedReservoir Dogs, and he’s desperate to meet you. You’re his favorite actor."
So Travolta went to meet Tarantino, and soon realized the director lived in the same apartment Travolta once lived in. After bonding over board games based on Travolta’s movies, the actorsaid he felt connected to Tarantinoand said"I need to know how he’s doing financially. You’re an up-and-coming artist, you have to have some reserve.“The pair then spent hours combing through a young Tarantino’s finances to ensure he was fiscally set and able to continue working.
Pulp Fiction
At the end of the night, Tarantino presented John Travolta with two scripts,From Dusk Till DawnandPulp Fiction, and asked what the actor thought. Travolta turned downFrom Dusk Till Dawn, stating “I’m not a vampire person. I’m not a blood guy,” but said thatPulp Fictionwas “much better.“A week later, Travolta was offered the role of Vincent Vega. The actor said he asked Tarantino why he was offered the role, and Tarantino told him,"‘you had this philosophical viewpoint,’ he called it, ‘that I need for that character. I want him to be thoughtful about whatever he’s gone through.'”
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Pulp Fiction Saved John Travolta’s Career
Even though John Travolta had starred in major movies likeGreaseandSaturday Night Fever, his star-power and popularity had dropped significantly before appearing inPulp Fiction. Travolta starred in a string ofcritical and commercial flops, includingPerfect,Moment by Moment,The Experts,Look Who’s Talking(and its sequelLook Who’s Talking Too), andEyes of an Angelto name a few. As well as catapulting Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman’s careers into the stratosphere,Pulp Fictionrevitalized John Travolta’s star-power, leading to his appearances inGet ShortyandFace/Off.
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Pulp Fictiondidn’t just increase the fame of its stars, it cemented Tarantino as one of Hollywood’s best up-and-coming directors. The back-to-back success ofReservoir DogsandPulp Fictiongave Tarantino more creative freedom and control over his own projects, and kickstarted one of the best filmographies of all-time. Tarantino followedPulp FictionwithJackie BrownandKill Bill Vol. 1&2, as well as an episode ofERbizarrely. He has directed nine films to date, with his 10th and reportedly final movie currently in the works. The new movie was originally reported to be titledThe Movie Critic, and based on a real film critic who Tarantino enjoyed reading from the 70s. However, the director has recently confirmed thatThe Movie Criticwill not be moving forward, and has not revealed any new details about his final movie.
Pulp Fictionis currently available to stream on Max.
