Furious Decision: Actress Risks All Playing Iconic 2000s Action Heroine!

Uma Thurman’s iconic role as The Bride in the Kill Bill series not only left a mark on cinema and pop culture but also cost her dearly, particularly during the filming of Kill Bill: Volume 2. It was during this shoot that she was involved in a serious car crash while performing a stunt that she should not have done herself.

At the end of filming the sequel, the actress was required to drive a convertible at high speed on a sandy road. Initially, she refused. However, director Quentin Tarantino was persistent, eventually convincing her that she would be safe.

“Quentin came to my trailer and, like all directors, he didn’t like being told no. He was furious because it would cause a significant delay if I refused, but I was scared,” she shared in a 2018 interview with The New York Times. “He told me, ‘I promise the car is fine. It’s just a straight line.’”

Reluctantly, she agreed to take the stuntwoman’s place and drive the vehicle. The outcome was disastrous: she lost control of the car, which collided with a palm tree, resulting in a damaged neck and knees and a concussion. Barely escaping the worst, she was pulled from the wreck by crew members, and understandably, she harbored significant resentment towards the director.

“I felt this burning pain and thought, ‘Oh my God, I might never walk again’.”

Shockingly, the footage of the accident is available on YouTube, as you can see below. Beware, it’s quite startling…

Strained Relations between the Actress and the Director

Although she eventually recovered from her injuries, her relationship with Quentin Tarantino deteriorated: “When I returned from the hospital with a neck brace, damaged knees, a huge bump on my head, and a concussion, I wanted to see the car; I was very angry,” she explained. “We had a huge argument, and I accused him of trying to kill me. He was very upset about that, and I guess that’s understandable because he didn’t think he was trying to kill me.”

In 2018, Quentin Tarantino also spoke about the incident in an interview with Deadline, admitting his fault: “I’m guilty of putting her in that car, but not in the way people say. Making her do that stunt is the biggest regret of my life.”

Both volumes of Kill Bill are available on VOD.