When it comes to Quentin Tarantino‘s movies, there’s always something that makes them stand out – the witty dialogues, the intricate storytelling, and, of course, the ensemble cast. Tarantino, known for his distinct style and love for non-linear narratives, has created a niche in the film industry like no other. Over the years, Tarantino has worked with a group of talented actors who have become synonymous with his films. These actors have not only delivered exceptional performances but also developed a rapport with the director, making them essential ingredients in the recipe of Tarantino’s filmmaking magic.
From the iconic Samuel L. Jackson, who has become a Tarantino regular, to the captivating Uma Thurman, who brought the fierce and unforgettable character of The Bride to life, each actor on this list has left a mark on Tarantino’s cinematic journey. In this article, we’ll explore the actors who have graced the screen in the most Quentin Tarantino movies, bringing their unique acting prowess to the director’s cinematic universe.
Update January 27, 2024: This article has been updated with even more actors Tarantino has worked with across his career as well as a list of each film the actors have worked on.
Julia Dreyfus (2 Films)
Films: Kill Bill Vol. 1, Inglorious Basterds
No, not Julia Louise-Dreyfus, but French actress Julie Dreyfus. She is a French actress known in Japan, so Tarantino cast her as Sofie Fatale, the lawyer, confidant, and second in command for Yakuza boss O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu) in Kill Bill Vol. 1. She then appeared in a small role in Inglorious Basterds as Francesca Mondino, associate and lover of Nazi film propaganda maker Joseph Goebbels. Even though these are small roles, Dreyfus shines and fans are hoping the duo work together one last time before Tarantino retires.
Christoph Waltz (2 Films)
Films: Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained
Christoph Waltz is a distinguished actor celebrated for his versatile performances and incredible talent. Waltz’s career spans both Hollywood and European cinema, and he has won numerous awards for his work. His collaboration with Quentin Tarantino marked a turning point in his career. In Inglourious Basterds, Waltz was charismatic yet sadistic SS officer Hans Landa, earning him two Academy Awards—Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival.
The partnership shined again when they got together for Django Unchained, where Waltz starred as charming Dr. King Schultz, dentist-turned-bounty-hunter, earning Waltz another Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Despite only including two films, Christoph Waltz’s partnership with Quentin Tarantino has been valuable in advancing both their respective careers.
Leonardo DiCaprio (2 Films)
Films: Django Unchained, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Leonardo DiCaprio, a name synonymous with Hollywood, has had a significant influence on film history. Since his breakthrough role in Titanic, which catapulted him to stardom, he’s consistently delivered exceptional performances across many genres. His collaboration with Quentin Tarantino shows his versatility and acting capabilities. While Tarantino originally wanted DiCaprio from the role of Hans Landa in Inglorious Basterds, it worked out for the best that it went to Christoph Waltz. DiCaprio would get to play an evil character for Tarantino on his next film when they joined forces in the highly acclaimed Django Unchained. DiCaprio portrayed the menacing but charismatic Calvin Candie, ultimately getting snubbed for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
They also worked together on Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, where DiCaprio’s epic portrayal of Rick Dalton got him nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Despite the fact that DiCaprio has only appeared in two Tarantino movies, his influence has been enormous. His dedication to every role and his extraordinary talent for bringing complex characters to life are the ideal complements to Tarantino’s unique storytelling.
Steve Buscemi (2 Films)
Films: Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction
Steve Buscemi is another actor with a long career in Hollywood, known for his distinct looks and unmistakable presence, which has made it on the list of frequent and early Tarantino collaborators. Working first on Reservoir Dogs with Tarantino, Buscemi played Mr. Pink, the pragmatic criminal planner. It really showcased Buscemi’s knack for bringing quirky and unique characters to life. Not only did the film launch Tarantino’s career, but it is also the movie that arguably put Steven Buscemi on the map and, to many, is still his best role.
Buscemi went on to cameo in Pulp Fiction, where he played the memorable Buddy Holly impersonator. While his appearance in Tarantino films is limited to these two iconic works, his contributions have been significant. His talent for portraying offbeat characters lines up well with Tarantino’s distinct storytelling, which makes this collaboration a memorable one.
Brad Pitt (2 Films)
Films: Inglourious Basterds, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Brad Pitt is another recurring figure in Tarantino films. The actor’s relationship with Quentin Tarantino began with the film Inglourious Basterds, in which he played Lieutenant Aldo Raine, the captain of a squad of Allied soldiers sent to defeat the Nazis during World War II. Their partnership continued with Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, where Pitt assumed the role of Cliff Booth, which earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, marking a milestone in his acting career. While Pitt has only collaborated with Tarantino on two films, his presence and charisma have truly added to the Tarantino cinematic universe.
Harvey Keitel (3 Films)
Films: Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Inglourious Basterds
Harvey Keitel is another seasoned actor with a long career in cinema. In fact, it is Keitel that is partially responsible for Tarantino’s career as he got the script for Reservoir Dogs from his wife and decided to back the young filmmaker. In Reservoir Dogs he starred as Mr. White/Larry Dimmick, a criminal with a “code”. Keitel went on to play Winston Wolf in Pulp Fiction in one of the best scenes in the entire movie, showcasing how effortlessly cool Keitel is. While Keitel’s collaborations with Tarantino are predominantly identified with these two classic works, he also made an uncredited phone cameo in Inglourious Basterds, as a commanding officer.
Kurt Russell (3 Films)
Films: Death Proof, The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Kurt Russell has had a long and distinguished career that spans five decades, highlighted by many noteworthy roles. Russell first worked with Quentin Tarantino on the film Death Proof, as the endearing but evil Stuntman Mike. The film, a part of the Grindhouse double feature, demonstrated Russell’s ability to bring depth and charisma to his roles, even in a darker context. His collaboration demonstrated Russell’s talent for blending in with Tarantino’s universe.
Russell continued his collaboration with Tarantino as bounty hunter John Ruth in The Hateful Eight. He then pulls double duty in two small but memorable roles in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The first role is playing a less murderous stuntman and also as the film’s narrator. Russell now feels tailor-made for Tarantino movies, and we are hoping he appears in his next and likely final film.
Uma Thurman (3 Films)
Films: Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Kill Bill: Vol. 2
Uma Thurman has distinguished herself in the film industry with her riveting performances and iconic on-screen presence. Her collaboration with Quentin Tarantino is nothing short of legendary and have played two of his most iconic characters. The two worked together for the first time on Pulp Fiction, when Thurman played Mia Wallace and received an Oscar nomination. Mia Wallace’s look was all over the film’s poster and has since become a staple in pop culture.
The duo then reunited almost a decade later with the Kill Bill saga. Thurman stared as the tenacious and resolute Bride. Her physique and range were highlighted in the two-part saga Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Kill Bill: Vol. 2, which established her as an action heroine for all time. The duo have not collaborated since, likely due to a car crash stunt that happened on the set of Kill Bill that Tarantino insisted Thurman do. While Thurman has since forgiven Tarantino, it appears unlikely these two will work together again.
Tim Roth (4 Films)
Films: Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (Kind of)
Tim Roth, another actor with a known versatility and ability to take on challenging and diverse roles, is another person that Tarantino likes to pull in occasionally. Tim Roth first began collaborating with Quentin Tarantino on the director’s first film, the critically acclaimed Reservoir Dogs, where he played the conflicted undercover detective Mr. Orange/Freddy Newandyke. Their working relationship began with this movie, and Roth’s performance demonstrated his skill at portraying the ethically gray characters. Roth also goes on to play Pumpkin/Ringo, a small, albeit important role, in Pulp Fiction.
More than twenty years later, Roth and Tarantino reunited once more for The Hateful Eight where Roth played the role of Oswaldo Mobray aka Pete “English Pete” Hicox. He also ended up filming a part as Raymond the butler for Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, but it unfortunately, didn’t make the final cut. Yet that still means he has worked with Tarantino on four films.
Michael Madsen (5 Films)
Films: Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Kill Bill: Vol. 2, The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Michael Madsen has worked alongside Quentin Tarantino for many years, with their collaboration starting in 1992 in Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino’s directorial debut. The two of them grew up professionally together, and their collaboration extended to a lot more projects. He had a small part in Kill Bill: Vol. 1, which he then reprised in Vol. 2 in a much more prominent role. Michael Madsen then appeared in The Hateful Eight as cowboy Joe Cage, and had a memorable cameo in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.
These are his five collaborations with Quentin Tarantino, and there would have been six had there not been a scheduling conflict. He was asked in the early ’90s to play Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction, but at the time, he was already committed to the movie Wyatt Earp, so John Travolta took his place. Then Tarantino floated the idea of doing a Vega Brothers movie with Travolta and Madsen reprising their roles from Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs respectively, but the project never came to be.
Samuel L. Jackson (6 Films)
Films: Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Samuel L. Jackson is a well-known actor in Hollywood who has a captivating screen presence and an instantly recognizable voice. His rise to popularity and success is the result of his outstanding performance in every role he plays. But Jackson’s collaboration with the ingenious director for the ground-breaking movie Pulp Fiction marked the beginning of a long-lasting, mutually beneficial partnership. Jackson was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his dynamic performance as hitman Jules Winnfield.
However, it didn’t end there; Samuel L. Jackson went on to appear in six more Tarantino movies, which is more than half of the entire amount of movies the director intends to make. Jackson’s other roles in Tarantino movies like Jackie Brown, Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight, and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood showcase his talent as an actor, making each one as memorable as the last. And he’s not done, either. Tarantino’s upcoming film, The Movie Critic, of which we know practically nothing, will reportedly feature Samuel L. Jackson in an important role, so hopefully, this brilliant duo will bring us even more amazing experiences soon.
Zoë Bell (7 Films)
Films: Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Death Proof, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Yes, Tarantino’s most frequent collaborator is now Samuel L. Jackson, but in fact, Zoë Bell. Her collaborations with Tarantino and her background are nothing short of interesting. Starting as a stuntwoman, she gained recognition for her fearless on-screen presence. Her collaboration with Quentin Tarantino started with being Uma Thurman’s stunt double on both Kill Bill films. Tarantino was so impressed her wrote the part in Death Proof for her. She played a fictionalized version of herself, performing daring stunts, and made her first acting debut as herself.
Being able to transition from stunt work to acting was impressive and really contributed to the film. Her stunt work has graced several of Tarantino’s films as an ongoing collaborator, adding a special thrill to action scenes that have become a trademark of his style. Bell worked as a stunt double on Inglorious Basterds and also had roles in The Hateful Eight and Django Unchained. Her latest and most notable is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood where she played another stuntwoman and the husband of Kurt Russell’s character making it a mini Death Proof reunion. It is very on-brand for Tarantino’s most frequent acting collaborator to not be a famous movie star but instead a star.
