History of Quentin Tarantino in Timeline
Quentin Tarantino is a highly influential American filmmaker, actor, and author. His films are known for graphic violence, extensive dialogue often containing profanity, and pop culture references. He has achieved both a cult following and critical acclaim, winning numerous awards, including two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. His films have collectively grossed over $1.9 billion globally, cementing his status as a commercially successful director.
22 hours ago : Quentin Tarantino names 'Inglourious Basterds' his masterpiece, 'Kill Bill' his ultimate film.
Quentin Tarantino declared 'Inglourious Basterds' his masterpiece and 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' his favorite. He considers 'Kill Bill' the ultimate Quentin Tarantino movie, the film he was 'born to make'.
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: Move to Los Angeles
In 1966, Quentin Tarantino moved with his mother back to Los Angeles.
1966: Original Release of Wait Until Dark
The play Wait Until Dark was originally released in 1966.
1971: Watched Carnal Knowledge
In 1971, Quentin Tarantino watched Carnal Knowledge.
1972: Watched Deliverance
In 1972, Quentin Tarantino watched Deliverance.
1973: Moved to Knoxville and back to Torrance
In 1973, after his mother divorced Curtis Zastoupil, Quentin Tarantino was sent to live with his grandparents in Knoxville and returned to Torrance in less than a year.
1977: Captain Peachfuzz and the Anchovy Bandit Screenplay
At the age of 14, in 1977, Tarantino wrote one of his earliest works, a screenplay called Captain Peachfuzz and the Anchovy Bandit that was based on the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit.
1986: First Hollywood Job
In 1986, Quentin Tarantino got his first Hollywood job, working as a production assistant on Dolph Lundgren's exercise video, Maximum Potential.
1987: My Best Friend's Birthday
In 1987, Quentin Tarantino co-wrote and directed My Best Friend's Birthday.
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 of The Golden Girls.
January 1992: Reservoir Dogs at Sundance Film Festival
In January 1992, Reservoir Dogs, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, screened at the Sundance Film Festival and received a positive response.
1992: Minor acting role in Eddie Presley
In 1992, Quentin Tarantino had a minor acting role in Eddie Presley.
1992: Release of Reservoir Dogs
In 1992, Quentin Tarantino's career began with the release of the independent crime film Reservoir Dogs.
1993: Sale of Natural Born Killers Script
In 1993, Tarantino sold his script for Natural Born Killers, which was rewritten, giving him only story credit. He later disowned the film.
1993: Release of True Romance
In 1993, Tarantino's screenplay True Romance was optioned and the film was eventually released.
1994: Release of Pulp Fiction
In 1994, Pulp Fiction was released, achieving major success and winning awards such as the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or and the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
1994: Minor acting roles
In 1994, Quentin Tarantino had minor acting roles in The Coriolis Effect, Sleep With Me, and Somebody to Love.
1994: Release and Awards for Pulp Fiction
In 1994, Quentin Tarantino wrote, directed, and acted in Pulp Fiction, winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay (shared with Roger Avary) and the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
1994: Uncredited Rewrite on It's Pat
In 1994, Tarantino did an uncredited rewrite on It's Pat.
1994: Feud with Denzel Washington on Crimson Tide Set
In 1994, Tarantino had an on-set feud with Denzel Washington during the filming of Crimson Tide over alleged racist dialogue added to the script. Washington later apologized.
1994: Palme d'Or win for Pulp Fiction
In 1994, Tarantino won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for Pulp Fiction.
1995: Minor acting roles
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 Crimson Tide.
1995: Relationship with Mira Sorvino Begins
In 1995, Tarantino began dating actress Mira Sorvino.
1995: Participation in Four Rooms and Desperado
In 1995, Tarantino participated in the anthology film Four Rooms, directing the segment "The Man from Hollywood", and had a supporting role in Desperado.
1995: Publication of biography of Tony Tarantino
In 1995, a biography by Jami Bernard included an interview with Tarantino's biological father, Tony Tarantino, whom he had never met, which angered him and led to the Oscars incident in 1997.
1996: Minor acting roles
In 1996, Quentin Tarantino had minor acting roles in Girl 6 and Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair.
1996: Uncredited Screenwriter on The Rock
In 1996, Quentin Tarantino was an uncredited screenwriter for the film The Rock.
1996: Release of From Dusk till Dawn
In 1996, Tarantino wrote and starred in the action horror film From Dusk till Dawn.
October 1997: Assault on Don Murphy
In October 1997, Tarantino physically assaulted Don Murphy at the AGO restaurant in West Hollywood, California, leading to a $5 million lawsuit which ended with Tarantino paying Murphy $450.
1997: Turned Down Speed and Men in Black
Following the success of Reservoir Dogs, in 1997 Quentin Tarantino turned down projects including Speed and Men in Black.
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, during the Oscars, Tarantino verbally abused and spat at Chris Connelly, an MTV News host and former Premiere magazine editor-in-chief, after Connelly tried to speak with Mira Sorvino, whom Tarantino was accompanying.
March 1998: Separation from Mira Sorvino
In March 1998, Tarantino and Mira Sorvino separated, releasing a statement saying they still loved each other but were going their separate ways.
1998: Broadway debut in Wait Until Dark
In 1998, Quentin Tarantino made his Broadway stage debut as an amoral psycho killer in a revival of the 1966 play Wait Until Dark.
2002: Portrayal of McKenas Cole in Alias
From 2002 to 2004, 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 was released.
2003: Relationship with Sofia Coppola Begins
In 2003, Tarantino was in a romantic relationship with filmmaker Sofia Coppola.
2004: Release of Kill Bill: Volume 2
In 2004, Kill Bill: Volume 2 was released.
2004: Presidency of Cannes Film Festival Jury
In 2004, Quentin Tarantino attended the Cannes Film Festival as president of the jury.
May 2005: Directing CSI episode "Grave Danger"
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
In 2005, Tarantino was awarded the honorary Icon of the Decade at the 10th Empire Awards.
2005: Inclusion on Time 100 List
In 2005, Tarantino was included on the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world.
2005: End of Relationship with Sofia Coppola
In 2005, Tarantino's romantic relationship with filmmaker Sofia Coppola ended. The two remained friends.
2007: Release of Death Proof
In 2007, Quentin Tarantino directed the exploitation slasher film Death Proof, released under the banner Grindhouse.
2007: Inclusion on Top 100 Living Geniuses List
In 2007, Tarantino was on The Daily Telegraph list of "Top 100 Living Geniuses".
October 2008: Filming of Inglourious Basterds begins
In October 2008, filming began on Inglourious Basterds.
August 2009: Release of Inglourious Basterds
In August 2009, Tarantino's film Inglourious Basterds was released to positive reviews and high box office gross.
2009: Release of Inglourious Basterds
In 2009, Quentin Tarantino released Inglourious Basterds, an alternate history of World War II.
2009: Meeting Daniella Pick
In 2009, Tarantino met Daniella Pick in Israel while promoting Inglourious Basterds.
2009: Conflict with David Letterman
In 2009, prior to appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman to promote Inglourious Basterds, Tarantino angrily confronted Letterman over jokes made about a former girlfriend, threatening violence. The situation was eventually resolved with a begrudging apology from Tarantino before the show.
2011: Honorary César Award
In 2011, Tarantino was given an Honorary César by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma.
2012: Release of Django Unchained
In 2012, Quentin Tarantino released Django Unchained, a slave revenge Spaghetti Western.
2012: Rome Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award
In 2012, Tarantino received a lifetime achievement award from the Rome Film Festival.
2013: Most-Studied Director in the UK
In 2013, a survey revealed that Tarantino was the most-studied director in the United Kingdom in film essays and dissertations.
2013: Interview on Channel 4 News
In 2013, during an interview on Channel 4 News promoting Django Unchained, Tarantino reacted angrily to questions about movie violence and real-life violence, refusing to answer and telling the interviewer he wasn't his "slave" or a "monkey".
October 2015: Attendance at Anti-Police Brutality Rally
In October 2015, Tarantino attended a rally in New York protesting police brutality and delivered a speech condemning murder by police.
2015: Release of The Hateful Eight
In 2015, Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight, a revisionist Western thriller, was released with a roadshow release.
2015: Support for Obama and Black Lives Matter
In 2015, Tarantino stated that Barack Obama is his favorite president and voiced support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
June 30, 2017: Engagement to Daniella Pick
On June 30, 2017, Tarantino became engaged to Israeli singer Daniella Pick.
October 18, 2017: Interview on Harvey Weinstein Allegations
On October 18, 2017, Tarantino discussed sexual harassment and assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein, stating that he knew about Weinstein's behavior in the mid-1990s through his then-girlfriend Mira Sorvino, but he "marginalized the incidents."
2017: Weinstein Scandal
In 2017, Tarantino reflected on the Harvey Weinstein scandal, admitting he knew about Weinstein's behavior earlier, but didn't act strongly enough, and later regretted not pressing Weinstein further about his misconduct.
February 3, 2018: Uma Thurman's Allegations Against Weinstein
On February 3, 2018, Uma Thurman told The New York Times that Weinstein had sexually assaulted her, and that she had reported this to Tarantino, who confronted Weinstein and banned him from contacting Thurman during the film's production.
November 28, 2018: Marriage to Daniella Pick
On November 28, 2018, Tarantino married Daniella Pick in a Reform Jewish ceremony in Beverly Hills.
2019: Release of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
In 2019, Quentin Tarantino released Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, a comedy-drama set in the late 1960s.
2019: Cannes Film Festival Press Conference
In 2019, at the Cannes Film Festival during the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood press conference, Tarantino responded dismissively to a journalist's question about Margot Robbie's limited dialogue in the film.
January 2020: Splitting Time Between Tel Aviv and Los Angeles
As of January 2020, Tarantino and Daniella Pick were splitting their time between Tel Aviv and Los Angeles, leading Tarantino to try and learn Hebrew.
February 22, 2020: Birth of First Child
On February 22, 2020, Tarantino and Daniella Pick's son was born in Israel.
2020: Two-Book Deal with HarperCollins
In 2020, Tarantino signed a two-book deal with HarperCollins to publish his first novel and his second book.
June 2021: Podcast Announcement
In June 2021, Tarantino announced plans to start a podcast with Roger Avary, named after Video Archives, a video rental store they worked at.
June 2021: Declares Himself an Atheist
In June 2021, Tarantino publicly declared that he was an atheist.
June 2021: Publication of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood novelization
In June 2021, Tarantino published his first novel, a novelization of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which received positive reviews.
June 2021: Joe Rogan Experience Interview
In June 2021, during an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Tarantino said he regretted not pressing Weinstein further about his misconduct before the 2017 scandal, expressing sadness about his past relationship with Weinstein.
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 3, 2022: Birth of Second Child
On July 3, 2022, Tarantino and Daniella Pick's second child, a daughter, was born in Israel.
July 19, 2022: Video Archives Podcast Premieres
On July 19, 2022, the Video Archives podcast, hosted by Tarantino and Roger Avary, premiered, featuring discussions about films that could have been rented at their former video store.
November 1, 2022: Publication of Cinema Speculation
On November 1, 2022, Tarantino's second book titled Cinema Speculation, about films of the New Hollywood era, inspired by film critic Pauline Kael, was published.
October 7, 2023: Visit to Israeli Military Base
On October 7, 2023, following the Hamas-led attack on Israel, Tarantino visited a military base in southern Israel to "boost the morale" of Israeli troops.
August 2024: Support for Kamala Harris
In August 2024, 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: Achievement as One of 'The Big Four' Critics Awards Sweepers
As of 2025, Tarantino is the first of five directors to ever sweep "The Big Four" critics awards (LA, NBR, NY, NSFC) for his work on Pulp Fiction.
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