DirectorQuentin Tarantinohas harsh words for actressRosanna Arquetteafter she criticized his decision to include a racial slur in "Pulp Fiction."
Arquette, who played the wife of drug dealer Lance (Eric Stoltz), in Tarantino's Oscar-winning cult classic, called the 1994 film great and iconic on "a lot of levels" but condemned the use of a racial slur in aSunday Timesinterview published on March 7.
"But personally, I am over the use of the [slur] – I hate it. I cannot stand that [Tarantino] has been given a hall pass," she said. "It's not art, it's just racist and creepy."
The "Kill Bill" director slammed Arquette's remarks in a statement shared with USA TODAY on Tuesday, March 10, accusing her of only critiquing him for the press coverage.
"I hope the publicity you're getting from 132 different media outlets writing your name and printing your picture was worth disrespecting me and a film I remember quite clearly you were thrilled to be a part of?" his statement read.
1968: "Oliver!" | Mark Lester plays the titular orphan in the film based on Charles Dickens' novel "Oliver Twist."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
1999: "American Beauty" | Kevin Spacey, with Mena Suvari, won the best-actor Oscar." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2000: "Gladiator" | Russell Crowe won the best-actor Oscar." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2003: "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" | Ian McKellen helped complete the Middle-earth trilogy. This is the third film to win the all-time high of 11 Oscars, and the only fantasy film ever to win the Academy's top prize." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2006: "The Departed" | Leonardo DiCaprio, left, and Jack Nicholson star in this film that also won Martin Scorsese a directing Oscar." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2008: "Slumdog Millionaire" | The movie set in India, with Dev Patel and Freida Pinto, won eight Oscars, none in acting categories." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2009: "The Hurt Locker" | Jeremy Renner received a best-actor nomination but did not win. The film, however, won six Oscars, and Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win an Oscar for directing." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2011: "The Artist" | Jean Dujardin won the Oscar for best actor while Bérénice Bejo received a best-supporting actress nomination. The (mostly) silent film won five Academy Awards." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2012: "Argo" | Ben Affleck produced, directed and starred in this best picture based on the real-life rescue of American embassy workers in Iran in 1980." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2016: "Moonlight" | In the wildest Oscars ending ever, "La La Land" was erroneously announced as best picture. But in reality, the vote went to "Moonlight," the coming-of-age drama starring Mahershala Ali, right, and Alex Hibbert. The film won three Oscars, including best supporting actor for Ali and screenplay for director Barry Jenkins." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2017: "The Shape of Water" | A voiceless janitor, played by Sally Hawkins, and her co-worker, Octavia Spencer, work in a secret government laboratory in 1960s Baltimore. The romantic fantasy earned 13 Oscar nominations and won four." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2018: "Green Book" | Mahershala Ali stars as classical and jazz pianist Don Shirley and Viggo Mortensen is Frank "Tony Lip" Vallelonga, his driver and bodyguard in the 1960s Deep South. Ali won the Oscar for best supporting actor." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2020: "Nomadland" | Frances McDormand stars as a nomad who lives out of her van after she loses her husband and her home when their Nevada mining town is wiped out in an economic collapse. The film won three Oscars, including best actress for McDormand and best director for Chloé Zhao, who made Oscar history as first woman of color to win the category." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2024: "Anora" | A Brooklyn sex worker (Mikey Madison) elopes with a Russian oligarch's son (Mark Eydelshteyn). The film won five Oscars, including best actress for Madison and best director (Sean Baker)." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Every Oscar best-picture winner, ever
USA TODAY has reached out to Arquette's representatives for comment.
Quentin Tarantino bashes Rosanna Arquette after she calls the director out
Tarantino responded to Arquette's claims that she harbors resentment over the money she didn't receive after the film's release. "Do you feel this way now? Very possibly," he continued. "But after I gave you a job, and you took the money, to trash it for what I suspect is very cynical reasons, shows a decided lack of class, no less honor."
Advertisement
He also criticized her for not showing "esprit de corps," which he believes should exist among artistic colleagues. "But it would appear the objective was accomplished. Congratulations Q," the director concluded.
Rosanna Arquette speaks out about Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Weinstein
Along with her disapproval of the racial slur in "Pulp Fiction," Arquette also said she was the only person who didn't get a backend share of the movie's takings, which she blamed onHarvey Weinstein, who was a producer on the movie. "Everybody made money except me," she told the Sunday Times.
Arquette wasamong the actressesinterviewed for a 2017expose of Weinsteinpublished in The New Yorker before the Hollywood titan was sentenced to prison time fora series of sexual assaults. Weinstein has denied all wrongdoing.
Life on Riker's Island:Harvey Weinstein says he was 'punched' amid prison sentence
The actress recounted an encounter in the early '90s when she met with Weinstein about the film's script, and he greeted her in a bathrobe before attempting to put her hands on his genitalia.
"I was fortunate because I was not raped," she told the outlet. "But, boy, was it going there and I paid a price for saying no, and later I paid a price for telling the truth."
Contributing: Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Quentin Tarantino slams Rosanna Arquette over 'Pulp Fiction' remarks