Quentin Tarantino’s Cult-classic ‘Pulp Fiction’ Features an Iconic Actor’s Cameo in a Famous Scene but Most Fans Missed it
- Steve Buscemi from Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs made a cameo as a waiter in Pulp Fiction.
- The actor believes that playing a waiter was sort of poetic justice to his character from Reservoir Dogs.
- Uma Thurman, John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackman believes that Pulp Fiction changed cinema and filmmakers.
Directed by Quentin Tarantino, the 1994 independent crime movie, Pulp Fiction, starred John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Uma Thurman, and more. The movie recounts the story of four intertwining situations of crime and violence in Los Angeles, and Tarantino incorporated scenes that were originally written for True Romance. The plot of the movie occurs out of chronological order, and pulp magazines and hardboiled crime novels inspired the title as they were popular back in the mid-20th century.
Upon its release, the movie that is known as Tarantino’s magnum opus, received critical and commercial success. Pulp Fiction was not only successful, but it also cemented the place for Uma Thurman, John Travolta, and more in the industry. Over the years, the movie has attained the status of being a cult classic and is one of the movies that the audience likes to go back to watch over and over. Pulp Fiction featured an iconic actor in a small role, which fans seem to have missed out on.
Steve Buscemi’s iconic appearance as Buddy Holly in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction
Actor Steve Buscemi, popularly known as Mr. Pink from Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 movie Reservoir Dogs, made a cameo in the filmmaker’s 1994 feature, Pulp Fiction. He appeared as Buddy Holly at Jack Rabbit Slim’s, who waited on Vincent and Mia, played by John Travolta and Uma Thurman.
The theme of the restaurant where Vincent takes Mia is about the wait staff being dressed up as iconic celebrities from the ’50s, and thus, Steve Buscemi appears as American rock and roll singer Buddy Holly. The actor appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden and was asked, ‘When you were shooting this, did you know that you were a part of something so special and so iconic?’ To which Buscemi said,
Well, yeah. I mean, you know, I read the script early on, and I thought it was phenomenal. He [Quentin Tarantino] asked me if I would play this [Buddy Holly], which is just one scene. I said, of course.
The actor further explained that what he thought was cool about the cameo was connected to his character, Mr. Pink, in Reservoir Dogs. He added that Mr. Pink was such a cheap skate and he didn’t like to tip. Buscemi thought that playing Buddy Holly was like a poetic justice. The actor noted during the interview that he likes to think that Mr. Pink got away somehow in Reservoir Dogs and that he’s hiding out as a waiter.
Talking about the environment of the restaurant, he added that they mostly had real impersonators who ended up playing the wait staff. Steve Buscemi shared with Corden that, except for him, it was kind of a joke that he was playing Buddy Holly. He also shared that one of the background actors came up to him and asked him why he chose Buddy Holly because he was not good at it.
Despite making a blink-of-an-eye cameo in the movie, Steve Buscemi’s fans do recognize him, which makes his cameo an iconic one.
Uma Thurman believes Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction ‘changed cinema’
Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, and Harvey Keitel reunited at the TCM Classic Film Festival for the screening of Pulp Fiction for its 30th anniversary. During a question-and-answer round, Thurman said via Variety,
It changed cinema, so it’s almost hard to have it sink in. I feel like I’ve had an evolving and beautifully growing relationship with Pulp Fiction all my life. It changed cinema, and it changed every filmmaker I met since.
Actor Harvey Keitel, who played Winston Wolfe in the movie, also shared his experience with the cult classic. He stated that the filmmaker is one of those talents that changed the environment that they were working in with his huge talent. Keitel continued that Tarantino’s aesthetic force was so powerful that it had the power to change your direction.
The actor noted that each one of them was present there for the same reason, adding that they respected the art and the artist. Travolta also added to the conversation, stating that he had a great first chapter and was desperately looking for a second one, and Quentin Tarantino took him to the moon and back. He admits that, after Pulp Fiction, great opportunities came his way.
As for Samuel L. Jackson, he admits that he was floating along and doing well when Pulp Fiction happened, which boosted his career. He lastly added that the movie changed his life drastically, as in that particular role, he was seen as the coolest guy on the planet.
Pulp Fiction is available on Prime Video and Apple TV+ on VOD.
