Quentin Tarantino Returns To Acting In Biggest Role Since 1996

Quentin Tarantino officially returns to acting for his biggest role in nearly three decades. Though the two-time Oscar-winning auteur has appeared in many of his own movies over the years – including his directorial debut Reservoir Dogs (1992), Pulp Fiction (1994), and Django Unchained (2012) – his last starring role was in From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), directed by his close friend Robert Rodriguez, which Tarantino also co-wrote.

Now, according to Variety, Quentin Tarantino is starring in Jamie Adams’ next film, Only What We Carry, alongside Simon Pegg, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sofia Boutella​​​​​, Liam Hellmann, and Lizzy McAlpine. The film was shot in Deauville, France, over six days in late September on a minimal budget with largely improvised performances.

Only What We Carry will adopt a narrative approach similar to Adams’ earlier films, including She Is Love and Wild Honey Pie!, which drew inspiration from the works of Rohmer and Hong Sang Soo. The experimental film, set along the windswept shores of Normandy, is described as “a meditation on love, loss, and the quiet courage it takes to move forward.” Read the full synopsis below:

[Pegg stars as] Julian Johns, a once-formidable instructor whose former student Charlotte Levant (Boutella) returns home to face the ghosts of her past. Joining them are Quentin Tarantino as John Percy, Julian’s old friend whose sudden arrival stirs long-buried truths; Charlotte Gainsbourg as Josephine Chabrol, Charlotte’s protective sister; Liam Hellmann as Vincent, a restless artist caught between love and loyalty and Lizzy McAlpine, making her film debut as Jacqueline, a young aspiring dancer whose presence forces everyone to confront the weight of what they’ve left behind.

Pegg and Adams shared the following statements:

Pegg: Creatively speaking, working on Only What We Carry was like going back to school. It was an incredibly fulfilling and enjoyable experience in the tradition of Eric Rohmer and Mike Leigh, with a group of truly amazing people.

Adams: It’s always been a dream of mine to shoot an Eric Rohmer-styled picture in Normandy, a dream that included collaborating with an exceptional international ensemble cast and crew. It turns out by embracing the freedoms of independent cinema that dream has come true, I’m forever grateful to the cast and crew of Only What We Carry for this moment.

For Tarantino, Only What We Carry marks his biggest on-screen role since From Dusk Till Dawn, in which he starred alongside George Clooney. Tarantino has made cameo appearances in many of his own films, including his latest, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).

As he returns to acting, Tarantino is currently considering what his tenth and final film will be. However, Tarantino‘s recent return to acting suggests he could continue pursuing on-screen roles after he retires from directing.