It seems to be a universal truth that meeting one’s hero is generally a recipe for disappointment and disaster. But those same ancient philosophers who conjured such wisdom technically never said anything about becoming good friends with those same heroes. Point in case,Kill Billdirector Quentin Tarantino and Michelle Yeoh.
That loophole was embodied when legendary filmmaker Tarantino createdKill Bill, a now iconic film that was (in part) inspired by the works of veteran actress (andstar ofEverything Everywhere All at Once) Yeoh. In fact, Yeoh and Tarantino have enjoyed a long friendship that appears to have enriched both of their careers. But apparently, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll automatically collaborate on everything, as Tarantino toldTown and Country.
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That was evidently the case when it came to thebeloved action movie duologyKill Bill. Given the subject matter and how both Thurman and Tarantino took inspiration from Yeoh during its production, it would have made a lot of sense to feature Yeoh herself in the film in some capacity. But in a recent interview with Town and Country, she revealed Tarantino’s reason for not casting her. “I asked Quentin the same question,” she said when asked the burning query. “He’s very smart. He said, ‘Who would believe that Uma Thurman could kick your ass?'”
As funny as the answer was, it does make sense, especially givenhow prolific Yeoh has been in martial arts moviesover the years. It also clearly didn’t come from a place of ill will on Tarantino’s part, as the two friends have offered each other help many times throughout the time they’ve known each other. He even helped encourage her to keep going after a rather destructive injury on the set of 1996’sThe Stunt Woman, as he was also in Hong Kong at the time screening his filmPulp Fiction.
Feeling dejected after the injury, Yeoh was almost ready to give up. ButTarantino’s rather infectious enthusiasmhelped her realize she still wanted to keep doing what she was doing. “I must say, Quentin, he’s persistent. He is who he is today because he’s full of passion and love, so he wore me down,” Yeoh said of their meeting. “Suddenly we became animated. So then I thought, Maybe I’m not ready to give up on this.” She did return to work, and it was also partially thanks to Tarantino’s encouragement that she finally made her English language film debut in 1997’s James Bond movieTomorrow Never Dies.
It seems clear that Yeoh and Tarantino have a lot to be thankful to each other for. What would things have been like for both of their careers if they hadn’t met? Frankly, even the very thought of it sounds terrifying. Some friendships were meant to be.
Kill Bill Vol. 1and2are available on Amazon Prime Video.
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Source:Town and Country
