The Kill Bill films tell the story of one woman’s epic quest for revenge against a criminal organization presided over by an evil mastermind.
So we suppose it’s not surprising that when Uma Thurman decided to take on Harvey Weinstein and his Miramax minions, she likened herself to the vengeful heroine she portrayed.
But the movies are on Thurman’s mind these days for reasons that go beyond the obvious parallels between herself and her character.
Last week, the actress became the latest to come forward with allegations of sexual assault against Weinstein.
In a candid interview with Maureen Dowd of The New York Times, Thurman told an all-too-familiar tale of unwanted advances from Weinstein.
She also alleged that her longtime friend and collaborator Quentin Tarantino knowingly put her in mortal danger during the filming of Kill Bill Vol. 2.
According to Thurman, Tarantino coerced her into driving an antique car that had been reconfigured from a manual to an automatic for a scene in the film.
Thurman reluctantly agreed to do the stunt, crashed the car, and had to be taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for minor injuries.
Today, Tarantino is speaking out in response to charges that he knowingly put Thurman’s life at risk:
“It was heartbreaking,” the director said in an interview with Deadline.
“Beyond one of the biggest regrets of my career, it is one of the biggest regrets of my life. For a myriad of reasons.”
He added that the crash “affected me and Uma for the next two to three years. It wasn’t like we didn’t talk. But a trust was broken.”
Tarantino went on to claim that he intended to corroborate Thurman’s version of events in the Times piece, but was never afforded the opportunity:
“Part of my job on the piece was to do an interview with Maureen Dowd, and back up Uma’s claims,” he said.
“And we never hooked up. Me and Dowd never hooked up,” Tarantino added, claiming that he “ended up taking the hit and taking the heat.”
“I feel like I’ve been honest here and told the truth, and it feels really good after two days of misrepresentation, to be able to say it out loud. Whatever comes of it, I’ve said my piece. I’ve got big shoulders and I can handle it.”
The news comes at a time when Tarantino’s reputation has already been badly damaged by recent events.
The director’s current project is reportedly inspired by the Manson family and the 1969 murder of Sharon Tate, the wife of filmmaker Roman Polanski.
Controversy surrounding the project has led to the resurfacing of a 2003 interview in which Tarantino defends Polanski against statutory rape allegations.
