When I think of actresses lucky enough to have a perfect part, one tailored and empowered with the entire spectrum of human emotion and not simply the giddy sex appeal that plagues Hollywood films, I think of Uma Thurman and Beatrix Kiddo/The Bride in Kill Bill. She should have received an Oscar nom for either volume, and won. While the following quote is in no way a slight at Tarantino, it was surprising to hear her say the following to MTV in regards to a role in Stanley Kubrick’s Wartime Lies, neither of which happened, obviously…
“It was devastating because it was an incredible part,” she confessed. “It would have been the part of my career, the best part I ever had been offered or had written for me, or anything.”
In no way am I comparing Tarantino to Kubrick right now, but it seriously caught me off guard, especially the “writing” part. Kubrick’s Wartime Lies, based on Louis Begley’s acclaimed novel, would have had Thurman play a Jewish woman who cares for her orphaned nephew as they face Nazi atrocities in Poland during the Holocaust and resort to taking the disguise of Catholics. More Uma…
“I was going to make a film with him - for a long time I was scheduled to make a film with him,” she said of “Wartime Lies,” a movie she was signed on to make with Kubrick in the early 90s. “I was contracted to do it and things happened and he shelved the film. He never made the film.”
An adaptation is currently being worked on by The Departed’s ever-busy William Monahan, but Thurman didn’t discuss whether she’s still being sought for the part. Let’s hope, because she belongs in higher-brow fare than My Super Ex-Girlfriend.
Discuss: Thoughts? Â
April 30th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Oscar nom and won for Kill Bill? Oh Hunter.. you crazy crazy kid.
April 30th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Maybe she meant at that time in her career?
April 30th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Caught you off-guard how? Like JMoney said, maybe she meant at the time of her career.
Tarantino waited and took his time for her and let her go through a pregnancy and a variety of other things in her life until she was ready to do KB. It wasn’t something she “had” to do at the time. It’s been known plenty of times that she just had to tell Quentin when she was ready and then they would begin the project.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
@ Captain Awesome
The very fact that QT waited supports the fact that he tailored the role for her, so what is your point exactly? I’m not sure I can name another actress who’s had a more epic/successful/interesting role designed for her. If you can, go for it.
@ JMoney
These quotes aren’t from way back, they’re new. MTV raises a similar point with her QT collabs as well.
@ Freddie
I’d like to see another actress pull off that performance(s), and I don’t simply mean the action/showdown at the House of Blue Leaves.
April 30th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
i know the quotes are new. im saying she meant that she felt that way at the time. she is speaking in the past tense. “best part that had been offered” in other words up to that point in her career it was the best thing offered to her
April 30th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
@ JMoney
I get your “past tense” argument but to me (and MTV) it still sounds as if she feels the same way today.
April 30th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Nomination I can agree with, but Kill Bill was a 2003 movie which means it would have been in the 2004 Academy Awards, meaning she would have had to out performed Charleze Theron in Monster…which is something that defintely did not happen. Kill Bill Vol 2 in 2004, 2005 academy awards would have been up against Hillary Swank in Million Dollar Baby, another performance greatly outshadowing her. So its not that she did poorly in them because I feel she was really outstanding, but just paled in comparison to some of the best Female performances in the 21st century in Charleze Theron’s - Monster and Hillary Swank - Million Dollar Baby.
100% agree on the fact that Uma is a well established and talented actress that should be landing roles as mentioned above instead of My Super Ex-Girlfriend or anything equally as embarassing and detrimental to the caliber of performing she is capable of.
April 30th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Uma Thurman was great but Kill Bill is hardly Oscar-worthy. It’s a wonderful throwback film, but c’mon, we all know Quentin should have gotten the Oscar for Pulp Fiction. Kill Bill doesn’t compare.
April 30th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Hunter,
Then I really don’t understand your comment regarding KB.
April 30th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
@ Captain America
My point is that it’s surprising to hear Uma talk about a dream role that was written for her without mentioning Kill Bill, which in my opinion, is the ideal role envisioned, written and tailored for her by a swooning QT and the one that she’ll most likely be most remembered for.
April 30th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
What’s this “America” bullshit? Are we now at the infamous crossroad of name-calling?
You’ll be hearing from my “awesome” lawyer buttcheeks!
April 30th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Just read the book. Kubrick decided against it due to Schindler’s. Wartime lies is not as potent. Now, ON THE SUBJECT OF KUBRICK- HIS SCRIPT “NAPOLEON” IS WHERE WE SHOULD BE CONCENTRATING OUR EFFORTS PEOPLE. NAPOLEON. THAT IS THE FILM TO MAKE.
-DIE-HARD KUBRICK FAN/ LOYALIST.
KUBRICK IS REALISM. KUBRICK IS THE GREAT ONE. WORDS OF WISOND LLOYD… WORDS.. OF.. WISDOM.
April 30th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
GAJONKA,
I hope a Silverback Gorilla breaks into your house, wakes you from a deep sleep, and shoves a caps lock key up your ass.