Quentin Tarantino gave up a role he had written for himself – and the decision was down to one reason.
Tarantino is one of Hollywood’s greats and has directed films including Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill , Planet Terror and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. He also regularly stars in his own films and makes cameos in others.
One of his best-known appearances was in the 1993 film Reservoir Dogs. Tarantino played the role of Mr Brown, who is shot in the head and dies – however, fans are just learning he wrote one of the other roles for himself and was not eager to give it up until he saw a fellow star’s audition.
Taking to Reddit, one user wrote: “Tarantino originally wrote the role of Mr Pink for himself and refused to give it up until he saw Steve Buscemi’s audition.” According to IMDb, Tarantino allowed all other actors to audition for the part of Mr Pink, but let them all know that he wanted it for himself.
When it came time for Steve Buscemi – who ultimately took the role – to read for it, Tarantino made it clear he would be reluctant to give up the part unless someone were to give a “killer audition,” IMDb states. “Buscemi duly complied,” the trivia page continues.”
This wasn’t the only casting change that was made over the course of the film, according to the Reddit post. “Tarantino wanted James Woods for a role in the film. Jon Cryer and David Duchovny also auditioned for roles,” the user wrote.
“Lawrence Tinney was fired on the third day of filming, because he was easily distracted and would constantly forget his lines. Vincent Gallo was considered for the role of Mr Pink. Sam Jackson and Ving Rahmes were considered for roles in the film. Jackson rumored for Mr Orange and Rahmes for the role of Holdaway. They would later be in Pulp Fiction.”
The film won 13 awards and was nominated for 23 more, according to IMDb. At the 1993 Independent Spirit Awards, Buscemi was named Best Supporting Male, suggesting he was the right choice for the role.
Tarantino has received a staggering 171 awards and 286 nominations throughout his career. These include two Oscar wins, two BAFTAs, three Golden Globes and one win at the Cannes Film Festival for Pulp Fiction.