Uma Thurman and Quentin Tarantino For several years they formed one of the most influential creative duos in contemporary cinema. But at the heart of this alliance was a deep wound: an accident during filming Kill Bill that could have caused his death and destroyed the trust between them.
When Kill Bill: Volume 1 Uma Thurman was released in October 2003 and was already a well-known actress, but not an action star. He achieved world fame with this pulp Fiction (1994), the film that made her Quentin Tarantino’s muse and earned her an Oscar nomination for her role as Mia Wallace. However, it was like that Kill Bill the project that radically changed his career.
In the role of Beatrix Kiddo, “The Bride”, Thurman played a fierce heroine characterized by violence and revenge in a cinematic epic made up of several ingredients: martial arts, exploitation Seventies, anime and western.
His feat required months of extreme physical training, complex fight choreography and absolute physical commitment. The result was one of modern cinema’s most iconic female characters and a new vitality to Thurman’s career to date multiple setbacks at the box office.
The project, originally conceived as a single film lasting more than four hours, was ultimately divided into two parts: Volume 1 (2003) and Volume 2 (2004). For Tarantino, it was a masterpiece; For Thurman, it was an artistic challenge that pushed her to her limits.
The filming too Kill Bill: Volume 2 It was nearing its end when the accident occurred that jeopardized the relationship between the actress and the director. It was in Mexico in 2004, during a scene in which Thurman had to drive a convertible on a country road.
According to the actress herself in an interview with The New York Times In an interview published in 2018, she expressed her discomfort before filming.
“Quentin came to my trailer and, like every director, didn’t like to be told no. He was angry because I wasted so much time. But I was scaredThurman said.
The actress recalled that Tarantino tried to convince her by assuring her that there was no danger: “He told me, ‘I promise you, the car is fine. It’s a straight line. Accelerate up to 40 miles per hour or your hair won’t fly properly and I’ll make you do it again.'”
But the reality was completely different. “It was a death sentence,” he said of the type of car he was driving. “The seat was not screwed on properly. “It was a sandy path and not a straight road.”
During the shooting, Thurman lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a palm tree. The impact was violent.
“The steering wheel was at the level of my stomach and my legs were trapped underneath me. I felt a searing pain and thought, “My God, I will never be able to walk again.”‘” he said.
The accident left him with a concussion, neck injuries and damage to his knees. When he returned from the hospital, still wearing a neck brace, he asked to check the car.
“Quentin and I had a heated argument and I accused him of trying to kill me.”Thurman explained. “He was very angry about it, which is understandable because he didn’t feel like it was intentional.”
She had trusted the filmmaker; However, the circumstances following the accident only made the situation worse.
The actress spent years trying to get video of the collision. Accordingly The Hollywood ReporterJust two weeks after the crash, his lawyer sent a letter to Miramax reserving the right to take legal action. The studio agreed to show him the material only if he has signed a document This freed her from “any consequences to my future pain and suffering,” which Thurman refused to accept.
The footage remained hidden for 15 years.
The story of the accident became public again in 2018, at the height of the #MeToo movement. In his interview with The New York TimesThurman linked the crash to another pivotal event: the sexual abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein, producer of Kill Bill and frequent Tarantino collaborator.
Thurman revealed that she told the director that Weinstein had sexually assaulted her years earlier, during the time pulp Fiction. Adding to this tension was the studio’s refusal to provide images of the accident.
When he finally received the footage, Thurman questioned Miramax’s intention to cover up the incident.
“The circumstances of this event were negligent to the point of criminality. However, I do not believe there was any malicious intent, as opposed to a cover-up,” he wrote on Instagram.
Keith Adams, stunt coordinator, provided valuable testimony in the case Kill Bill. He assured that his team had not been called and therefore was not present on the day of the accident.
“At no time was I informed or consulted that Ms. Thurman was driving a car on camera that day,” he said. Had he attended, “I would have insisted on not only having a professional driver behind the wheel, but also making sure the car was roadworthy and safe,” he argued.
The vehicle, a Karmann Ghia from 1973, Roll bars, seat belts and head restraints were missing. For experienced coordinator Andy Armstrong, consulted by the same publication, all these elements increased the risk of the maneuver.
“It could have resulted in her death by decapitation. It was largely irresponsible,” explained the effect of the impact on the actress’s neck area.
Given the scope of the case Quentin Tarantino spoke publicly and took responsibility for the safety of his set. He admitted that letting Thurman drive that day was “one of the biggest regrets” of his life.
The director explained that he tested the car in one direction but decided to film in the opposite direction due to lighting issues. “I thought a straight road was a straight road and didn’t think it was necessary to go over it again to make sure there were no differences,” he said. “That was one of my most terrible mistakes.”
Tarantino also said he understood the personal breakdown over what happened. “She got in the car because she trusted me. And I told her it was safe. And it wasn’t. I was wrong,” he admitted. “It affected Uma and I for the next two or three years. The trust was broken.”
It took some time, but the relationship between actress and director was later improved. In 2018, it was Tarantino himself who gave the actress the video of the accident.
“Quentin Tarantino deeply regrets and remains sorry for this unfortunate event,” he wrote on Instagram. “He gave me the images so that I could bring them to light, even though this is likely a case where justice has not been served. Furthermore, he did it with full knowledge that it could cause him personal harm, and I am proud of him for doing the right thing and for his courage.”
A few months later, in May, the actress reiterated that she bore no grudge against the filmmaker and that she might consider working with him again in the future.
“Do I have a chronic neck problem? Yes,” Thurman said. “Was I angry about how it was handled and how they treated me? Yes. But does that mean I don’t care about someone I’ve been with for 25 years? No!
Last November they both appeared together at the premiere of The Lost Chapter: Yuki’s Revengea project connected to the universe of Kill Bill which will be part of it Fortnite Chapter 7. Thurman posed happily wearing a t-shirt Kill Billanother sign that the friendship has survived.
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