History of Quentin Tarantino in Timeline
Quentin Tarantino is a highly influential American filmmaker, actor, and author celebrated for his distinct cinematic style. His films are known for their graphic violence, lengthy dialogues laden with profanity, and extensive pop culture references. Tarantino's work has garnered a devoted cult following, critical acclaim, and commercial success, establishing him as a leading director of his generation. He has received numerous accolades, including multiple Academy Awards, BAFTA Awards, and Golden Globe Awards. His films have collectively grossed over $1.9 billion worldwide, solidifying his impact on the film industry.
March 27, 1963: Quentin Tarantino's Birth
On March 27, 1963, Quentin Jerome Tarantino was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, to Connie McHugh and Tony Tarantino.
1966: Moved to Los Angeles
In 1966, Quentin Tarantino's mother returned to Los Angeles with her son.
1966: Original Play of Wait Until Dark
In 1966, Wait Until Dark play originally debuted.
1971: Watching Carnal Knowledge
In 1971, Quentin Tarantino was allowed to watch more mature movies, such as Carnal Knowledge.
1972: Watching Deliverance
In 1972, Quentin Tarantino was allowed to watch more mature movies, such as Deliverance.
1973: Moved to Knoxville, and later back to Torrance
In 1973, after his mother's divorce and misdiagnosis, Quentin Tarantino was sent to live with his grandparents in Knoxville. Less than a year later, he returned to Torrance.
1977: Wrote Captain Peachfuzz and the Anchovy Bandit
At the age of 14, Quentin Tarantino wrote one of his earliest works, a screenplay called Captain Peachfuzz and the Anchovy Bandit which was based on the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit.
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: Played an Elvis impersonator in 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: Released Reservoir Dogs
In January 1992, Reservoir Dogs, written, directed by and starring Quentin Tarantino, was released and screened at the Sundance Film Festival. The crime thriller was an immediate hit, receiving a positive response from critics.
1992: Reservoir Dogs release
In 1992, Quentin Tarantino began his career with the independent crime film Reservoir Dogs.
1992: Minor 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, leading to Tarantino receiving only a story credit. He later disowned the film.
1993: True Romance released
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. The dispute arose over "Tarantino's racist dialogue added to the script".
1994: Minor roles in The Coriolis Effect and others
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: Pulp Fiction success
In 1994, Quentin Tarantino wrote, directed, and acted in the dark comedy crime film Pulp Fiction. Tarantino received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, shared with Roger Avary, and the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. He was also nominated for Best Director.
1995: Minor 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: Participated in Four Rooms and Desperado
In 1995, Quentin Tarantino participated in the anthology film Four Rooms, directing the fourth segment of "The Man from Hollywood". He also had a supporting role in Desperado.
1995: Relationship with Mira Sorvino begins
In 1995, Quentin Tarantino started dating actress Mira Sorvino. They remained together until March 1998.
1995: Uncredited screenwriter for Crimson Tide
In 1995, Quentin Tarantino was an uncredited screenwriter for Crimson Tide.
1995: Publication of interview with Tony Tarantino
In 1995, an interview with Quentin Tarantino's biological father, Tony Tarantino, whom he had never met, was included in a biography by Jami Bernard. Tarantino considered the article "pretty tasteless", which lead to the confrontation with Chris Connelly at the 1997 Oscars.
1996: Minor role in Girl 6
In 1996, Quentin Tarantino had a minor acting role in Girl 6. Also in 1996, he starred in Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair, a simulation video game that uses pre-generated film clips.
1996: From Dusk till Dawn
In 1996, Quentin Tarantino re-teamed with Robert Rodriguez to write and act in From Dusk till Dawn.
1996: Uncredited screenwriter for The Rock
In 1996, Quentin Tarantino was an uncredited screenwriter for The Rock.
1996: Wrote and starred in From Dusk till Dawn
In 1996, Quentin Tarantino wrote and starred in the action horror film From Dusk till Dawn.
October 1997: Physical altercation and lawsuit
In October 1997, Quentin Tarantino physically assaulted Don Murphy at the AGO restaurant in West Hollywood. This altercation followed the publication of 'Killer Instinct' by Jane Hamsher. Murphy then filed a $5 million lawsuit against Tarantino.
1997: Turned down Speed and Men in Black
Following the success of Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino was approached by major film studios and offered projects that included Speed and Men in Black, but he instead retreated to Amsterdam to work on his script for Pulp Fiction.
1997: Directed Jackie Brown
In 1997, Quentin Tarantino's third feature film, Jackie Brown, an adaptation of Elmore Leonard's novel Rum Punch, was released. A homage to blaxploitation films, it starred Pam Grier.
1997: Jackie Brown release
In 1997, Quentin Tarantino's third film as director, Jackie Brown, paid homage to blaxploitation films.
1997: Incident at the Oscars ceremony
In 1997, during the Oscars ceremony, Quentin Tarantino, accompanying Mira Sorvino, confronted Chris Connelly, then-MTV News host, for publishing a story on Tarantino's dad. He gave Connelly the finger and spat at him.
March 1998: Separation from Mira Sorvino
In March 1998, Quentin Tarantino and Mira Sorvino separated, releasing a statement about their mutual decision to go their separate ways.
1998: Broadway 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, which received unfavorable reviews for his performance from critics.
2002: Portrayed McKenas Cole in Alias
From 2002, Quentin Tarantino portrayed villain McKenas Cole in the ABC television series Alias.
2003: Relationship with Sofia Coppola begins
In 2003, Quentin Tarantino began a romantic relationship with filmmaker Sofia Coppola, which lasted until 2005.
2003: Kill Bill: Volume 1 released
In 2003, Quentin Tarantino wrote and directed Kill Bill: Volume 1, a highly stylized "revenge flick".
2004: President of the Jury at Cannes Film Festival
In 2004, Quentin Tarantino attended the Cannes Film Festival, where he served as president of the jury.
2004: Kill Bill: Volume 2 released
In 2004, Quentin Tarantino wrote and directed Kill Bill: Volume 2 was released.
May 2005: Directed Grave Danger episode of CSI
In May 2005, Quentin Tarantino co-wrote and directed "Grave Danger", the fifth season finale of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for this episode.
2005: End of relationship with Sofia Coppola
In 2005, Quentin Tarantino ended his romantic relationship with filmmaker Sofia Coppola. The two have remained friends since their breakup.
2005: Icon of the Decade award at the 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.
2007: Directed Death Proof
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: Death Proof release
In 2007, Quentin Tarantino made the exploitation-slasher film Death Proof, which was part of a double feature with From Dusk till Dawn director Robert Rodriguez, released under the collective title Grindhouse.
2007: Inclusion on 'Top 100 Living Geniuses' list
In 2007, Quentin Tarantino was included on The Daily Telegraph's list of "Top 100 Living Geniuses".
October 2008: Filming of Inglourious Basterds began
In October 2008, filming began on Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.
August 2009: Release of Inglourious Basterds
In August 2009, Quentin Tarantino's film Inglourious Basterds was released to positive reviews, achieving the highest box office gross in the US and Canada for the weekend on release.
2009: Meeting Daniella Pick
In 2009, Quentin Tarantino met Daniella Pick in Israel while promoting Inglourious Basterds. They would later become engaged on June 30, 2017.
2009: Inglourious Basterds release
In 2009, Quentin Tarantino released Inglourious Basterds, which followed an alternate account of World War II.
2009: Conflict with David Letterman
In 2009, Quentin Tarantino was scheduled to appear on Late Show with David Letterman to promote Inglourious Basterds. Prior to this, Letterman had made jokes about Tarantino's former girlfriend. This led to Tarantino phoning Letterman and threatening him. The conflict was later resolved, with Tarantino appearing 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: Django Unchained release
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's film essays and dissertations, ahead of Alfred Hitchcock, Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg.
2013: Tarantino's reaction to violence question during interview
In 2013, during an interview with Krishnan Guru-Murthy on Channel 4 News while promoting Django Unchained in the UK, Quentin Tarantino reacted angrily when questioned about the link between movie violence and real-life violence.
October 2015: Attendance at police brutality protest
In October 2015, Quentin Tarantino attended a rally in New York protesting police brutality and spoke out against murder by authorities.
2015: Support for Barack Obama and Black Lives Matter
In 2015, Quentin Tarantino stated that Barack Obama is his favorite president and voiced his support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
2015: The Hateful Eight release
In 2015, Quentin Tarantino's eighth film, The Hateful Eight, was a revisionist Western thriller and opened to audiences with a roadshow release.
June 30, 2017: Engagement to Daniella Pick
On June 30, 2017, Quentin Tarantino became engaged to Israeli singer Daniella Pick.
October 18, 2017: Tarantino discusses Harvey Weinstein allegations
On October 18, 2017, Quentin Tarantino discussed sexual harassment and assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein, stating that his then-girlfriend Mira Sorvino had told him about her experiences with Weinstein in the mid-1990s. Tarantino confronted Weinstein at the time, received an apology, but now regrets not doing more.
2017: Weinstein scandal surfaces
In 2017, a scandal involving Harvey Weinstein surfaced, revealing extensive misconduct. This event prompted Quentin Tarantino to reflect on his past interactions and relationship with Weinstein.
February 3, 2018: Uma Thurman's assault allegations and Tarantino's response
On February 3, 2018, Uma Thurman, an actress in Kill Bill, 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 for the remainder of the film's production.
November 28, 2018: Marriage to Daniella Pick
On November 28, 2018, Quentin Tarantino married Daniella Pick in a Reform Jewish ceremony in Beverly Hills.
2019: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood release
In 2019, Quentin Tarantino's ninth film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, was released. It is a comedy-drama set in the late 1960s about the transition of Old Hollywood to New Hollywood.
2019: Indignant response at Cannes Film Festival
In 2019, during the Cannes Film Festival at the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood press conference, Quentin Tarantino responded indignantly to a journalist's question about Margot Robbie's limited lines in the film.
January 2020: Splitting time between Tel Aviv and Los Angeles
As of January 2020, Quentin Tarantino and Daniella Pick were splitting their time between Tel Aviv and Los Angeles, with Tarantino trying to learn Hebrew.
February 22, 2020: Birth of first child
On February 22, 2020, Quentin Tarantino and Daniella Pick's son was born in Israel.
2020: Tarantino signs two-book deal with HarperCollins
In 2020, Quentin Tarantino signed a two-book deal with HarperCollins. The first book was a novelization of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and the second was Cinema Speculation.
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, where they both worked. The podcast would feature discussions of films that could have been rented 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 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood', which received positive reviews.
June 2021: Declares himself as an atheist
In June 2021, Quentin Tarantino stated that he was an atheist.
June 2021: Tarantino regrets not pressing Weinstein further
In June 2021, during an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Tarantino expressed regret for not pressing Harvey Weinstein further regarding his misconduct before the 2017 scandal. He reflected on his past relationship with Weinstein, who he once admired for fostering his career.
2021: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood novelization
In 2021, Quentin Tarantino's debut novel, a novelization of the film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, was published.
July 3, 2022: Birth of second child
On July 3, 2022, Quentin Tarantino and Daniella Pick's second child, a daughter, was born in Israel.
July 19, 2022: Premiere of 'Video Archives' podcast
On July 19, 2022, the Video Archives podcast, hosted by Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary, premiered. The podcast explores films that could have been offered for rental at the Video Archives store.
November 1, 2022: Publication of 'Cinema Speculation'
On November 1, 2022, Quentin Tarantino published Cinema Speculation, a book about films of the New Hollywood era, inspired by film critic Pauline Kael.
October 7, 2023: Visit to Israeli military base
On October 7, 2023, Quentin Tarantino visited a military base in southern Israel to "boost the morale" of Israeli troops following the Hamas-led attack.
August 2024: Support for Kamala Harris in 2024 presidential election
In August 2024, Quentin Tarantino expressed his intention to vote for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election on Bill Maher's podcast Club Random.
2025: Recognition as the first director to sweep 'The Big Four' critics awards
By 2025, Quentin Tarantino was recognized as the first director to ever sweep "The Big Four" critics awards (LA, NBR, NY, NSFC) for his work on Pulp Fiction.
Mentioned in this timeline
Joe Rogan is a multifaceted American entertainer known primarily for...
Howard Stern is a renowned American radio personality recognized for...
Steven Spielberg is a highly successful American filmmaker who played...
Margot Robbie is a highly successful Australian actress and producer...
Sony Group Corporation is a Japanese multinational conglomerate with headquarters...
Kamala Harris is an American politician and attorney notable as...
Trending
3 months ago Naomi ambushes Jade Cargill; Cargill returns to face Liv Morgan on SmackDown.
14 days ago Dominik Mysterio shines in WWE, honors Eddie Guerrero's memory with a visit.
2 months ago Bam Adebayo sends message to Strus before the Heat vs Cavs playoff.
Seth Freakin Rollins born Colby Daniel Lopez is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE's Raw brand Highly regarded...
2 months ago Gavin Lux's 2025 Performance, Diaz Returns to Reds, and Other Dodgers Updates
Tito Francona is a well-known figure in American baseball having served as both a player and manager in Major League...
Popular
Sergio Gor is a Maltese American businessman and political operative...
Cristiano Ronaldo often called CR is a Portuguese professional footballer...
Kristi Noem is an American politician and Air Force Auxiliary...
Benjamin Netanyahu is a prominent Israeli politician currently serving as...
Michael Jordan also known as MJ is an American businessman...
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...