Rosanna Arquette criticises Quentin Tarantino's frequent N-word use

Rosanna Arquette recently discussed her role in Quentin Tarantino's 1994 classic film Pulp Fiction, acknowledging its significant influence in cinema history, but criticised the director for his frequent use of the N-word in his films.

"It's a landmark film, exceptional in many ways. Yet, I personally despise the N-word — it's something I can't stand," she shared with The Times U.K.

She added, “I can't tolerate that he [Tarantino] continuously gets a free pass. It's not art; it's simply racist and disturbing.”

The actress nominated for an Emmy isn't alone in her critique of Tarantino’s use of the racial slur, which appears numerous times in films like The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained, and Jackie Brown.

In 1997, the year Jackie Brown was released, Spike Lee criticized Tarantino’s excessive use of the slur, stating, "I’m not opposed to the word, and I use it myself, but not in such abundance. While some people indeed speak that way, Quentin seems obsessed with using that word. Does he want to be an honorary Black man?"

Lee added that Tarantino "includes it in all his films: Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs. I want Quentin to realise that not all African Americans view that word as fashionable or cool."

More recently, filmmaker Lee Daniels has also criticized Tarantino's decision to use the term in his movies — especially when the director of Inglourious Basterds suggested moviegoers "watch something else" if they objected to his cinematic style.

"That's not an appropriate response," Daniels remarked, explaining that while he might have considered Tarantino's use of the word "artistic" a decade ago, he now believes that Tarantino lacks "the right to feel that way."

On the other hand, Samuel L. Jackson, who starred in Pulp Fiction and Django, has defended Tarantino. In 2022, he mentioned to The Times, "Whenever an example of excessive use of the N-word is needed, people turn to Quentin — it's not fair. He's merely telling a story, and the characters indeed speak that way. When Steve McQueen does it, it's considered art. He's an artist. Quentin's merely seen as a popcorn filmmaker."