Welcome back to our list of 15 things you didn’t know about Quentin Tarantino. His films are well-known, and some of the most watched by moviegoers in the United States – and the world. And yet, the filmmaker has had such a strange, interesting life that there’s plenty you probably don’t know about him.
Number Eight: He Has Reused Props for Different Movies
One of the most noticeable examples of this – at least once you know it’s true – is Butch’s car from Pulp Fiction. The car owned by the character played by Bruce Willis is also driven in by the titular character in Jackie Brown (Pam Grier).
Number Seven: The First Choice for Colonel Landa Was Not Christoph Waltz
The German actor is now well-known for his infamous role as the unforgiving Nazi in Inglourious Basterds, so it’s hard to imagine anyone else as the character. But originally Tarantino wanted Leonardo DiCaprio for the role.
Number Six: His Father Was an Actor
Although this has little or nothing to do with Quentin’s interest in film. Quentin has stated that he has no relationship with his father Tony.
Number Five: He Dated Fellow Director Sofia Coppola
Now there’s a romantic meeting of Italian-American director royalty. They dated in the early-to-mid 2000’s, and even though they’ve since broken up, Quentin actually voted for her to win The Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival – and she ended up winning.
Number Four: He Was Nominated for a Razzie
Tarantino may be an Academy Award-winning director, but he has the much more dubious distinction of being nominated for a Razzie, too. He earned the nomination for his acting in From Dusk Till Dawn.
Number Three: He Was Originally Set to Play Pai Mei in Kill Bill Vol. 2
Well, this would have been a mistake. It would be distracting enough an Asian martial arts expert to be played by a white guy, but to see Quentin Tarantino as the character would have been truly absurd.
Number Two: He Worked at a Video Store Until he Was 26
Many might think of Tarantino as a sort of boy wonder director. But in actuality, he got his start in the business fairly late – unless video store clerk counts as “the business.”
Number One: Quentin Tarantino Did Jail Time for Parking Tickets
He somehow managed to rack up thousands of dollars in parking tickets – some accounts have the total at $7,000! He ended up being thrown in the L.A. County Jail for ten days.