Maya Hawke, known for portraying a member of the Manson Family in
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,”
recently shared her thoughts on working with Quentin Tarantino during a conversation on Amy Poehler‘s podcast, “Good Hang.” Hawke revealed that her mother, Uma Thurman, who has starred in three of Tarantino’s films, gave her memorable advice regarding her brief work with the acclaimed director.
When Poehler asked if Thurman had offered any tips about collaborating with Tarantino, Hawke humorously replied, “Keep your shoes on,” playfully referencing the persistent rumors about Tarantino’s alleged foot fixation. The response left Amy Poehler amused and momentarily speechless, as she echoed the advice:
Keep them on, baby. Are you gonna try-
which led to shared laughter between the host and Hawke.
The Ongoing Conversation about Tarantino’s Known Foot Imagery
Quentin Tarantino’s tendency to include close-up shots of feet in his films has been widely discussed among fans and critics alike. Iconic scenes, such as the toe wiggle in “Kill Bill,” have fueled speculation about the director’s fascination with feet.
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
also contains several shots highlighting bare feet, further adding to the conversation.
Actors connected to Tarantino’s projects often jest about this quirk. During the 2020 Screen Actors Guild Awards, Brad Pitt humorously acknowledged Tarantino’s preference for foot close-ups while accepting the Best Supporting Actor award. In his speech, Pitt named several co-stars as well as their feet:
I want to thank my co-stars,
he began, before listing
“Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, Margot Robbie’s feet, Margaret Qualley’s feet, Dakota Fanning’s feet.”
He concluded with a playful jab:
Quentin has separated more women from their shoes than the TSA.
Despite the jokes, Tarantino has downplayed the significance of the foot imagery. During a 2021 interview with GQ, he remarked, I don’t take it seriously. However, the publication noted he sighed with disappointment when asked about the supposed foot fetish. Tarantino explained,
There’s a lot of feet in a lot of good directors’ movies. That’s just good direction. Like, before me, the person foot fetishism was defined by was Luis Buñuel, another film director. And Hitchcock was accused of it, and Sofia Coppola has been accused of it.
Maya Hawke’s Positive Experience on Set and Personal Connection to Tarantino
While Maya Hawke’s role in
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
was minor, she has spoken warmly about her time working with Tarantino. In a 2019 interview with Entertainment Weekly, she described the experience as wonderful and praised the director’s passion:
Quentin is such a brilliant and enthusiastic filmmaker and director. His passion radiates through you. There are very few people who love movies as much as he does.
Hawke also mentioned her personal familiarity with Tarantino, likely influenced by her mother’s longstanding relationship with the director. Uma Thurman’s history with Tarantino includes starring roles in “Pulp Fiction” and both volumes of “Kill Bill,” establishing a decades-long connection.
Uma Thurman Reflects on a Difficult Incident and Ongoing Relationship with Tarantino
Uma Thurman has publicly reflected on a troubled moment during her work with Tarantino, revealing in a 2018 New York Times interview that he pressured her into driving a car that she had concerns about. The car was reportedly unstable, and Thurman eventually suffered an injury after a crash. Tarantino later called the accident
one of the biggest regrets of [his] life
and acknowledged that it damaged the trust between them.
Despite the incident, Thurman has expressed forgiveness and openness to future collaboration. In a 2018 conversation with Entertainment Weekly, she said she would consider working with Tarantino again
if he wrote a great part
for her. Thurman elaborated,
I understand him and if he wrote a great part and we were both in the right place about it, that would be something else. We’ve had our fights over the years. When you know someone for as long as I’ve known him, 25 years of creative collaboration…yes, did we have some tragedies take place? Sure. But you can’t reduce that type of history and legacy.
What This Means for Future Collaborations and Tarantino’s Legacy
The exchange between Maya Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Amy Poehler highlights the blend of personal connections, creative intensity, and complexities involved in working with Quentin Tarantino. The director’s distinctive style, including his reputed attention to feet on screen, remains a topic of fascination and humor among those in his orbit.
Thurman’s willingness to consider future work with Tarantino, combined with Hawke’s positive experience and insight from her mother, suggests that Tarantino’s influence endures strongly among actors who have been part of his projects. As Tarantino’s cinematic legacy continues to evolve, these personal stories provide a glimpse into the dynamic and sometimes challenging relationships behind the scenes of his celebrated films.
