Owen Wilson Tarantino controversy exploded after Quentin Tarantino voiced strong negative feelings toward Wilson, despite praising the Woody Allen film ‘Midnight in Paris,’ which stars Wilson. The comments came during Tarantino’s appearance on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, where the director did not hold back about his personal views, yet still placed the film high in his list of 21st-century favorites.
Tarantino Details Mixed Feelings in Recent Podcast Appearance
During his discussion on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, Quentin Tarantino, known for works like ‘Jackie Brown’ and ‘Django Unchained,’ openly admitted his dislike for Owen Wilson.
“I really can’t stand Owen Wilson,”
Quentin Tarantino, Director, shared.
“I mean, I can’t stand him,”
Quentin Tarantino, Director, continued. Despite this, he acknowledged that his appreciation for ‘Midnight in Paris’ grew with repeated viewings, even as he initially struggled with Wilson’s performance.
Tarantino described his experience watching ‘Midnight in Paris’ for the first time,
“I spent the first time watching the movie loving it and hating him,”
Quentin Tarantino, Director, explained.
“The second time I watched the movie, I was like, ‘Ah, okay, don’t be such a prick. He’s not so bad. He’s not so bad.’ And then the third time I watched it, I found myself watching him,”
Quentin Tarantino, Director, added.
Despite Tarantino’s personal opinions, representatives for Owen Wilson did not respond to requests for comment made by Entertainment Weekly.
‘Midnight in Paris’: Acclaimed Film and Praised Performance
‘Midnight in Paris,’ directed by Woody Allen, features Owen Wilson as the lead character and has been widely regarded as one of Allen’s standout works of the 21st century. Wilson’s performance in the film earned significant praise, including a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture—Comedy or Musical. The ensemble also received recognition with a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.
Tarantino Analyzes Woody Allen’s Film Approach
During the podcast, Tarantino examined Woody Allen’s prolific output, noting that Allen often made a new movie every year for much of his career. Discussing Allen’s creative process, Tarantino questioned,
“How does Woody Allen do it? How does Woody Allen write these scripts, one a year, for so long?”
Quentin Tarantino, Director, pondered.
“Well, if you put them under a microscope, you can kinda see how he does it. One, he’s not really writing movies, he’s writing short stories that he expands to feature length,”
Quentin Tarantino, Director, observed.
In Tarantino’s perspective, Allen emphasized quantity over painstaking refinement.
“Usually to the detriment of the movie, he films first drafts,”
Quentin Tarantino, Director, critiqued.
“If he were to take one of these and spend a year writing it and go through draft two, three, four, just to see what would happen, God knows what they would be! But he wouldn’t make as many movies, and I don’t think that interests him. I think he likes writing — get it done, and move onto the next one,”
Quentin Tarantino, Director, remarked.
He went on to compare ‘Midnight in Paris’ with Allen’s earlier films.
“This looks like he actually might have written a third draft,”
Quentin Tarantino, Director, commented about the movie. He believed the film had a more fully realized script than many others in Allen’s filmography.
Highlighting the Art and Surrealism in ‘Midnight in Paris’
Tarantino expressed special appreciation for the way Allen depicted a circle of artists from the early 20th century, who interact with Wilson’s character as part of the film’s time-travel storyline. Tarantino remarked on the humor and irony present in those scenes.
“I like the idea that he’s trying to describe his time travel thing to them, and it’s the only people who completely get it. Well of course you get it, you’re surrealists!”
Quentin Tarantino, Director, said.
The Lasting Impact of Tarantino’s Comments on Film and Performance
The Owen Wilson Tarantino controversy underscores how sharply personal opinions among high-profile filmmakers can diverge from public and critical reception. While Tarantino openly challenged Wilson’s on-screen presence, both the actor and ‘Midnight in Paris’ remain lauded in cinema discussions, with the film recognized for its unique storytelling and vibrant cast. The strong reactions from Tarantino emphasize the subjective nature of art, showing that personal bias does not always diminish respect for a project’s quality and significance within the film community.
