Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Quentin Tarantino
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Quentin Tarantino made an impact.
Quentin Tarantino is a highly influential American filmmaker, actor, and author known for his visually striking films containing graphic violence, extended dialogue, and pop-culture references. He has achieved critical acclaim, commercial success, and a devoted cult following. Tarantino has won numerous awards, including two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. His films have collectively grossed over $1.9 billion globally, solidifying his position as a prominent and influential figure in contemporary cinema.
1986: First Hollywood Job
In 1986, Quentin Tarantino was employed in his first Hollywood job, working with Video Archives colleague Roger Avary, as production assistants on Dolph Lundgren's exercise video, Maximum Potential.
1987: Co-Wrote and Directed My Best Friend's Birthday
In 1987, Quentin Tarantino co-wrote and directed My Best Friend's Birthday. It was left uncompleted, but some of its dialogue was included in True Romance.
November 19, 1988: Appearance on The Golden Girls
On November 19, 1988, Quentin Tarantino played an Elvis impersonator in "Sophia's Wedding: Part 1", an episode in the fourth season of The Golden Girls.
January 1992: Reservoir Dogs Screened at Sundance Film Festival
In January 1992, Quentin Tarantino's crime thriller Reservoir Dogs—which he wrote, directed, and acted in—screened at the Sundance Film Festival, receiving a positive response from critics.
1992: Release of Reservoir Dogs
In 1992, Quentin Tarantino began his career with the release of the independent crime film Reservoir Dogs.
1992: Acting role in Eddie Presley
In 1992, Quentin Tarantino had a minor acting role in Eddie Presley.
1993: Sale of Natural Born Killers script
In 1993, Quentin Tarantino sold his script for Natural Born Killers. The script was rewritten, resulting in Tarantino receiving only a story credit. He later disowned the film.
1993: Release of True Romance
In 1993, Quentin Tarantino's screenplay True Romance was optioned and the film was eventually released.
1994: Uncredited rewrite on It's Pat
In 1994, Quentin Tarantino did an uncredited rewrite on It's Pat.
1994: Feud with Denzel Washington during Crimson Tide filming
In 1994, Quentin Tarantino had an on-set feud with Denzel Washington during the filming of Crimson Tide due to concerns over racist dialogue added to the script. Washington later apologized to Tarantino.
1994: Acting roles in The Coriolis Effect, Sleep With Me, Somebody to Love
In 1994, Quentin Tarantino had minor acting roles in The Coriolis Effect, Sleep With Me, and Somebody to Love.
1994: Palme d'Or win for Pulp Fiction
In 1994, Quentin Tarantino won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for Pulp Fiction.
1994: Release and Success of Pulp Fiction
In 1994, Quentin Tarantino wrote, directed, and acted in Pulp Fiction, receiving the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The film grossed over $200 million and earned positive reviews.
1995: Participated in Four Rooms and acted in Desperado
In 1995, Quentin Tarantino directed and acted in "The Man from Hollywood" segment of the anthology film Four Rooms. He also had a supporting role in Robert Rodriguez's Desperado.
1995: Acting roles in All-American Girl and Destiny Turns on the Radio
In 1995, Quentin Tarantino had minor acting roles in All-American Girl and Destiny Turns on the Radio.
1995: Uncredited Screenwriter on Crimson Tide
In 1995, Quentin Tarantino was an uncredited screenwriter on the movie Crimson Tide.
1996: Release of From Dusk till Dawn
In 1996, From Dusk till Dawn, written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Robert Rodriguez, was released, featuring Tarantino in an acting role.
1996: Acting roles in Girl 6 and Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair
In 1996, Quentin Tarantino had minor acting roles in Girl 6 and Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair, a simulation video game.
1996: Uncredited Screenwriter on The Rock
In 1996, Quentin Tarantino was an uncredited screenwriter on the movie The Rock.
October 1997: Assault on Don Murphy and subsequent lawsuit
In October 1997, Quentin Tarantino physically assaulted Don Murphy at the AGO restaurant in West Hollywood, California, after the publication of the book Killer Instinct by Jane Hamsher, which criticized Tarantino. Murphy filed a $5 million lawsuit, which ended with Tarantino paying Murphy $450.
1997: Decline offers from major studios
In 1997, After the success of Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino declined offers from major film studios including Speed (1994) and Men in Black (1997) and went to Amsterdam to work on the script for Pulp Fiction.
1997: Release of Jackie Brown
In 1997, Quentin Tarantino's third feature film, Jackie Brown, an adaptation of Elmore Leonard's novel Rum Punch, was released.
1997: Incident with Chris Connelly at the Oscars
In 1997, at the Oscars ceremony, Quentin Tarantino reacted angrily to Chris Connelly, then of MTV News, after Connelly attempted to speak with Mira Sorvino. Tarantino pulled Sorvino away, insulted Connelly, and spat at him, due to an article Connelly had published regarding Tarantino's estranged father.
1998: Broadway stage debut in Wait Until Dark
In 1998, Quentin Tarantino made his major Broadway stage debut as an amoral psycho killer in a revival of the 1966 play Wait Until Dark, receiving unfavorable reviews for his performance.
2002: Portrayal of McKenas Cole in Alias
From 2002, Quentin Tarantino portrayed villain McKenas Cole in the ABC television series Alias.
2003: Release of Kill Bill Volume 1
In 2003, Kill Bill: Volume 1, a highly stylized "revenge flick" written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, was released.
2004: Release of Kill Bill Volume 2
In 2004, Kill Bill: Volume 2, the second part of Quentin Tarantino's highly stylized "revenge flick", was released.
2004: President of Jury at Cannes Film Festival
In 2004, Quentin Tarantino attended the Cannes Film Festival as president of the jury. Volume 2 of Kill Bill also had a screening there, but was not in competition.
May 2005: Directed CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Episode
In May 2005, Quentin Tarantino co-wrote and directed "Grave Danger", the fifth season finale of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
2005: Icon of the Decade award at Empire Awards
In 2005, Quentin Tarantino was awarded the honorary Icon of the Decade at the 10th Empire Awards.
2005: Inclusion on Time 100 list
In 2005, Quentin Tarantino was included on the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world, highlighting his significant impact on the film industry and popular culture.
2007: Directed Death Proof as part of Grindhouse
In 2007, Quentin Tarantino directed the exploitation slasher film Death Proof, released as part of Grindhouse, a double feature with Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror.
2007: Release of Death Proof
In 2007, Quentin Tarantino made the exploitation-slasher film Death Proof, part of a double feature with Robert Rodriguez's film, released under the title Grindhouse.
2007: Inclusion on The Daily Telegraph's list of 'Top 100 Living Geniuses'
In 2007, Quentin Tarantino was named on The Daily Telegraph's list of "Top 100 Living Geniuses", recognizing his creative and intellectual contributions.
October 2008: Filming of Inglourious Basterds Began
In October 2008, filming began on Quentin Tarantino's film Inglourious Basterds, then provisionally titled "Inglorious Bastards".
August 2009: Release of Inglourious Basterds
In August 2009, Quentin Tarantino's film Inglourious Basterds was released to positive reviews and achieved the highest box office gross in the US and Canada for the weekend of its release.
2009: Release of Inglourious Basterds
In 2009, Quentin Tarantino released Inglourious Basterds, an alternate account of World War II.
2009: Feud with David Letterman
In 2009, before appearing on Late Show with David Letterman to promote Inglourious Basterds, Tarantino had a heated phone call with Letterman after Letterman made jokes about Tarantino's former girlfriend. Tarantino threatened Letterman, who challenged him to a fight. They reconciled years later when Tarantino appeared on the show.
2011: Honorary César Award
In 2011, Quentin Tarantino was given an Honorary César by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma.
2012: Lifetime Achievement Award from Rome Film Festival
In 2012, Quentin Tarantino received a lifetime achievement award from the Rome Film Festival.
2012: Release of Django Unchained
In 2012, Quentin Tarantino released Django Unchained, a slave revenge Spaghetti Western which won him his second Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
2013: Most-studied director in the UK
In 2013, a survey revealed that Quentin Tarantino was the most-studied director in the United Kingdom based on essays and dissertations on film marked in the previous five years, surpassing Alfred Hitchcock, Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg.
2013: Argument during Channel 4 News interview
In 2013, during an interview with Krishnan Guru-Murthy on Channel 4 News, while promoting Django Unchained in the UK, Tarantino became angry when questioned about the link between movie violence and real-life violence. He refused to answer, stating he was "shutting [his] butt down".
2015: Support for Barack Obama and Black Lives Matter
In 2015, Quentin Tarantino expressed that Barack Obama is his favorite president and voiced his support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
2015: Release of The Hateful Eight
In 2015, Quentin Tarantino's eighth film, The Hateful Eight, a revisionist Western thriller, was released.
October 18, 2017: Interview discussing Harvey Weinstein allegations
On October 18, 2017, Quentin Tarantino discussed sexual harassment and assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein in an interview. He acknowledged knowing about Weinstein's behavior towards Mira Sorvino in the mid-1990s and admitted to marginalizing the incidents, stating he knew enough to have done more.
2017: Weinstein scandal
In 2017, the Harvey Weinstein scandal became public, leading Tarantino to reflect on his past interactions with Weinstein and his handling of information regarding Weinstein's behavior.
February 3, 2018: Uma Thurman's allegations against Weinstein and Tarantino's reaction
On February 3, 2018, Uma Thurman told The New York Times that Harvey Weinstein had sexually assaulted her, and that she had reported this to Tarantino. Tarantino confronted Weinstein and banned him from contacting Thurman during the film's production.
2019: Release of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
In 2019, Quentin Tarantino's ninth film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, a comedy-drama set in the late 1960s, was released.
2019: Response to question about Margot Robbie's lines at Cannes
In 2019, at the Cannes Film Festival during the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood press conference, Quentin Tarantino responded indignantly to a journalist's question about Margot Robbie's limited dialogue in the film, stating "I just reject your hypothesis" and providing no further explanation.
2020: Two-book deal with HarperCollins
In 2020, Quentin Tarantino signed a two-book deal with HarperCollins, marking a significant venture into literary publishing.
June 2021: Announcement of 'Video Archives' podcast
In June 2021, Quentin Tarantino announced plans to start a podcast with Roger Avary, named after Video Archives, the video rental store where they both worked. The podcast would focus on discussions of films that could have been offered for rental at the store.
June 2021: Publication of 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' novelization
In June 2021, Quentin Tarantino published his first novel, a novelization of his film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. It received positive reviews from The New York Times and The Guardian.
June 2021: Regret over handling of Weinstein situation
In June 2021, on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Tarantino expressed regret for not pressing Weinstein further about his misconduct before the 2017 scandal. He reflected on his past relationship with Weinstein, who he once admired for fostering his career.
2021: Publication of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood novelization
In 2021, Quentin Tarantino's debut novel, a novelization of his film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, was published.
July 19, 2022: Premiere of 'Video Archives' podcast
On July 19, 2022, the podcast 'Video Archives,' co-hosted by Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary, premiered. The podcast featured discussions of films that could have been found at the Video Archives rental store where they both worked.
November 1, 2022: Publication of 'Cinema Speculation'
On November 1, 2022, Quentin Tarantino's second book, Cinema Speculation, inspired by film critic Pauline Kael and focusing on films of the New Hollywood era, was published.
October 7, 2023: Visit to Israeli military base after Hamas attack
In response to the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Quentin Tarantino visited a military base in southern Israel to "boost the morale" of Israeli troops.
2025: Recognition as first director to sweep 'The Big Four' critics awards
Quentin Tarantino achieved the distinction of being the first director to sweep 'The Big Four' critics awards (LA, NBR, NY, NSFC) for his work on Pulp Fiction and the first of only five directors to do so as of 2025.
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