Quentin Tarantino Recalls Confronting Roger Ebert Over Criticism of His Acting

One of the most renowned cinema critics in history, Roger Ebert was renowned for his in-depth analyses and intimate connections with numerous actors and directors. In spite of this, his reviews occasionally caused controversy, particularly when they were critical. One of these cases included Quentin Tarantino, a director whom Ebert had long respected, especially for ‘Pulp Fiction’, which he ranked among the greatest movies of the 1990s. But the two got into a fight after Ebert criticized Tarantino's acting.

Although Tarantino is best recognized for his filmmaking, he also had minor acting parts in his own movies, including ‘Pulp Fiction’ and ‘Reservoir Dogs’. He also appeared in films directed by friends in the 1990s, including a small part in ‘Somebody to Love’. In his At the Movies review, Ebert lambasted Tarantino's acting and recommended that the filmmaker quit acting altogether and concentrate only on making movies. Although he praised the film's storyline, which Tarantino co-wrote, he also had unfavourable things to say about Tarantino's performance in ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’.

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Ebert's opinion was criticized by Tarantino, who accused the critic of using a double standard. He noted that Steve Buscemi and Tim Roth, two of his partners, had directed movies that Ebert had given favourable reviews. Given that other directors, such as Roth and Buscemi, were permitted to act, Tarantino believed it was unjust to advise filmmakers to limit themselves to directing. Ebert's remarks could have been intended for fun, but Tarantino maintained that restricting someone's ability to express themselves creatively because of their preexisting role wasn't helpful.

Tarantino's presence in front of the camera has diminished with time. He has cut back on his acting after being criticized for his cameo in ‘Django Unchained’, opting instead to make fleeting vocal cameos in subsequent movies. It appears that he may have completely abandoned acting given his intention to retire from directing.

–Farheen Ali