From the film’s get-go, John Travolta‘s hilarious and authentic performance as Vincent Vega in 1994’s Pulp Fiction lures viewers in as the character teaches us about a “Royale with Cheese,” and the Netherlands’ complicated marijuana laws.
Quentin Tarantino’s second flick pulled Travolta out of a career slump, and earned the veteran performer an Oscar nomination. The actor was 40 upon the film’s release, making him 39 during the production. Travolta’s main co-star, Samuel L. Jackson, was 45 when the film premiered; Uma Thurman was 24. And Bruce Willis was 39.
Again, Travolta’s performance was one of the film’s main highlights. However, casting the actor was not an easy sell.
Quentin Tarantino had to fight for Travolta to be in Pulp Fiction
It’s bizarre to imagine anyone but Travolta playing Vincent Vega. But in the early ’90s, his career was in a dive, and certain industry heads, like Harvey Weinstein, felt the actor lacked reliable bankability.
Weinstein, who produced a majority of Tarantino’s filmography, was absolutely against casting Travolta for Pulp Fiction. According to Vanity Fair, Weinstein argued for big names like Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Penn, or William Hurt, instead. A young Tarantino and his agent, Mike Simpson, stood their ground and forced the producer to relent.
After Pulp Fiction, Travolta’s star shone bright. A year after the film’s release, he was able to capture success again with Get Shorty, starring alongside Danny DeVito, Gene Hackman, and Rene Russo. In ’97, he and Nicholas Cage smashed the box office with Face/Off.
While Travolta may have one of the most topsy-turvy careers in Hollywood, his iconic roles are iconic for a reason. Nobody is going to be forgetting about Pulp Fiction, Grease, and Saturday Night Fever anytime soon.
(Tarantino fans may also be interested to learn that a rumor is spreading online that Travolta may appear in the director’s last film; that would definitely be a full circle moment.)
