Quentin Tarantino’s long film resume has bolstered many classic films since 1992's Reservoir Dogs and 1994's Pulp Fiction pushed him into the mainstream. However, it was the Kill Bill series that became a pop culture moment. This film series pushed both Tarantino and Uma Thurman’s careers to the next level, but not everything went smoothly with the film’s star, according to the Oscar winner. Tarantino revealed one thing Thurman hated about filming the beloved film series.
Quentin Tarantino made his statement while doing an exclusive interview with ReelBlend. The Oscar-winning director talked about the classic action film while promoting his novelization of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Of course, like any film, Kill Bill would be filled with surprising secrets from the set. With that in mind, the Kill Bill director revealed the thing Thurman could’ve done without filming the two-part saga, saying:
Uma hated the yellow tracksuit. Hated it. Didn't get it. Thought she looked like a Popsicle -- a banana Popsicle. She was just not into it. She had no idea who Bruce Lee, practically. I finally had to show her Game of Death. She sorta kind of got it. Now, since then it's become this totally iconic thing. And she probably doesn't even remember it, But she was like, ‘You're trying to make me look like a clown!’
Of course, without the Bruce Lee reference, Uma Thurman wouldn’t understand the significance of the jumpsuit. Thurman was thinking about how she would look on the big screen. The color and look of the jumpsuit would throw anybody off if no context was given. Even though this was eventually remedied, maybe Quentin Tarantino should’ve told her in the beginning about the Bruce Lee connection. Still, Tarantino’s answer proved just how impactful the film still is.
As the director pointed out, the yellow jumpsuit has become an iconic piece of pop culture. The movie poster with Uma Thurman striking a pose in the jumpsuit alone set the tone for Kill Bill. Thurman and the look have been parodied many times since the film debuted in 2003. So Quentin Tarantino was right about the yellow jumpsuit, but you never know, it could return at some point.
For years, there has been speculation floating around about Kill Bill Vol. 3. Quentin Tarantino threw the idea out around the mid-2000s, but he has gone back and forth over the possibility. In 2020, talks of a third installment ramped up again after co-star Vivica A. Fox supported the idea. She even pitched a possible storyline for the film with Euphoria’s Zendaya as her daughter. Fox’s plot fell right in line with what Tarantino originally pitched. It would be nice if Vernita Green’s daughter “still feels raw about it.” But at this time, the director might have other plans.
After the success of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino has been settling into the idea of retirement with his last film on the horizon. While Kill Bill Vol. 3 may never happen, fans of Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2 can relive the Bride’s revenge plot on HBO Max, Prime Video and Hulu.
