(Tony Barson/Getty Images)
Hollywood writer, director and actor Quentin Tarantino lost his temper with a female reporter from the New York Times when asked why Margot Robbie wasn’t given more to say or do in his latest film “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”
“I reject your hypothesis,” Tarantino said at a press conference Wednesday morning at the Cannes Film Festival.
Robbie portrays Sharon Tate in the film, which takes place in 1960s Hollywood and focuses on a struggling TV actor named Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) as they make their way through a changing movie industry.
At the press conference, Tarantino scowled as Robbie tried to tactfully answer it.
“I think the moments I was on screen gave a moment to honor Sharon,” Robbie said. “I think the tragedy was the loss of innocence. To show the wonderful sides of her could be done without speaking. I did feel like I got a lot of time to explore the character without dialogue, which is an interesting thing. Rarely do I get an opportunity to spend so much time on my own as a character.”
Hammer and Nigel covered the exchange on Wednesday’s edition of “Is This Anything?”
Nigel:
“In the video, you can see Brad Pitt rolling his eyes. They’re all sitting there at Cannes Film Festival, taking questions about this new movie, and this nitwit New York Times reporter tries to imply that Quentin Tarantino doesn’t provide enough screen time and dialog for females in his movies? It’s ridiculous! Ever see ‘Kill Bill’ doofus? Ever see ‘Jackie Brown’ doofus?
Uma Thurman and Pam Grier had title roles in his movies; nice try.
Margot Robbie plays Sharon Tate in this fictional movie. The main focus is on Leo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt’s characters as they struggle to make it in a changing movie industry in the 1960s. Sharon Tate, who was murdered by the Manson family, sort of has a side story; she’s not the main character in the film.”
Hammer:
“What did this reporter want Tarantino to say? ‘Because she’s a woman and women are things!’ Just stop.”
Click the link below to hear more from Hammer and Nigel.
