Actor Rosanna Arquette has criticised filmmaker Quentin Tarantino for what she described as the excessive use of the N-word in his films, saying the repeated inclusion of the slur is “not art” but “racist and creepy.” 

As per Deadline, in an interview, Arquette reflected on her experience working in Tarantino`s 1994 cult classic Pulp Fiction. While acknowledging the film`s enduring influence and iconic status, the Emmy-nominated actor said she strongly disagrees with the director`s approach to dialogue involving racial language. 

“It`s iconic, a great film on a lot of levels. But personally I am over the use of the N-word — I hate it,” Arquette said in the interview. She added, “I cannot stand that he has been given a hall pass. It`s not art, it`s just racist and creepy,” as per Deadline. The debate surrounding Tarantino`s dialogue is not new. 

The slur has appeared numerous times across several of the filmmaker`s projects, including The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained and Jackie Brown. Filmmaker Spike Lee publicly criticised Tarantino`s use of the word as early as 1997, the year Jackie Brown was released. Lee argued that while the word may appear in certain contexts, Tarantino uses it excessively. 

“Quentin is infatuated with that word,” Lee said at the time, adding that not all African Americans view it as “trendy or slick.” Lee also pointed to the director`s earlier films, including Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, as examples. More recently, filmmaker Lee Daniels also criticised Tarantino`s stance on the issue, particularly after the director of Inglourious Basterds suggested that viewers who object to his creative choices should “see something else.” 

As per Deadline, Daniels responded that such a remark was “not the right answer,” adding that while he might once have considered the usage “artistic,” Tarantino had “no right to feel that way.” However, Tarantino has also found defenders. 

Actor Samuel L. Jackson, who collaborated with the director in Pulp Fiction and Django Unchained, argued in a 2022 interview that criticism often singles Tarantino out unfairly. As per Deadline, Jackson said the filmmaker is portraying characters authentically and noted that similar language used by directors such as Steve McQueen is often interpreted differently.

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