Flash back to the early 2000s when Quentin Tarantino’s ultra-violent Kill Bill films hit the big screen, starring the foxy Uma Thurman as the lead character. Little did audiences know about the behind-the-scenes drama and Tarantino’s controversial directorial choices.
Fast forward to 2018 – in the midst of the #MeToo movement, Thurman opened up in a New York Times piece about the dark side of working with Tarantino and her regrets about enabling Harvey Weinstein’s alleged predatory behavior as the powerful producer behind Kill Bill.
“I am one of the reasons that a young girl would walk into his room alone, the way I did,” Thurman admitted about Weinstein, who was accused of sexual misconduct by numerous women. “Quentin used Harvey as the executive producer of Kill Bill, a movie that symbolizes female empowerment. And all these lambs walked into slaughter.”
But Thurman’s shocking revelations didn’t stop there. She claimed that during production of the Kill Bill films, Tarantino personally spit in her face and choked her with a chain for intense scenes – actions he has now confirmed.
“Naturally, I did it. Who else should do it?” Tarantino unapologetically told Deadline about the spitting scene. As for the choking, he said it was Thurman’s suggestion to make it look more realistic.
The fallout was immediate, with Kill Bill producer Lawrence Bender expressing regret that Thurman “suffered the pain she has, both physically and emotionally” on set, promising to prioritize safety going forward.
Thurman’s candid comments shed new light on the acclaimed Kill Bill franchise, exposing the controversial methods Tarantino used to capture his signature brand of stylized violence and female empowerment on film.