Throughout his filmography,Quentin Tarantinohas directed plenty of impressive performances from well-known actresses like Uma Thurman (in any of her Tarantino appearances, really), Pam Grier inJackie Brown(1997), and Jennifer Jason Leigh inThe Hateful Eight(2015). They’ll all be omitted from this list, as they were highly acclaimed with nominations from various major award associations for either Best Actress or Best Supporting Actress.
And men have had their turn in the spotlight, too: Christoph Waltz has won two Oscars for acting in a Tarantino movie, and Brad Pitt has one under his belt as well, while others such as Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta inPulp Fiction(1994) are among the most well-regarded of their respective decade.
These roles really run the gamut of prominence, with some being much larger than others — mostly, though, this list will feature minor and supporting characters. Except one or two, nearly every starring role from throughout Tarantino’s filmography remains iconic in one respect or another. Don’t expect manySamuel L. Jackson performances, either. But, with all that said, here are the twenty most underrated performances from Quentin Tarantino movies.
20Chris Tucker as Beaumont Livingston — Jackie Brown
Before he made it to superstar status withRush Hour(1998), American actorChris Tuckermade a brief appearance here inJackie Brown(1997) as Beaumont Livingston. It was a breakout year for him, really, with other prominent roles in titles likeThe Fifth Element(1997) andMoney Talks(1997). There’s no doubt about, it though: from that twelve-month time span, his role as Beaumont Livingston under the direction of Tarantino was the best of the bunch.
For his short time on screen, Livingston established himself as one of the funniest and most refreshing characters the film had to offer. Full credit on that goes to Chris Tucker for perfectly portraying the personality of Livingston as Tarantino had envisioned him. This isn’t necessarily an emotional effort from Tucker, but itrivalshis role inFriday(1995)— andRush Hour, for that matter — in terms of sheer hilarity.
19Margaret Qualley as Pussycat — Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Appearing as a member of the Manson Family named Pussycat, Margaret Qualley sold this role with steadfast loyalty to Charles Manson, as if she were actually there with “Charlie” back in 1969. It’s a rather creepy performance at times, too, given her strange predilection for a maniac, probably. But even in her delivery of dialogue in tandem with her physical motions — swinging back and forth when she talks, almost like a child — Qualley absolutely sells the part.
One scene you might remember fromOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood(2019) is when Pussycat put her bare feet on Cliff Both’s dashboard, and even pressed them against the windshield. Pretty gross, right? Things only get worse from there, and the more unhinged Pussycat becomes as a character, the more impressive Qualley becomes as a performer.
18Lucy Liu as O-ren Ishii – Kill Bill: Volume 1
Though fairly well-known by name and mostly associated with the ending fight sequence ofKill Bill: Volume 1(2003), Lucy Liu’s work as O-ren Ishii remains largely overshadowed today by Uma Thurman’s portrayal of Beatrix, Daryl Hannah’s efforts as Elle Driver, and David Carradine playing the titular Bill. But from the dinner table beheading scene to the aforementioned duel between her and Beatrix, O-ren had many shining moments as a character that enabled impressive acting from Liu.
And commonly, this is consideredthe best achievement of her career. And although Thurman and Carradine garnered nominations from prominent award associations for their respective efforts, nobody from theKill Billfilms is remembered for a particularly poignant performance like the actors in other Tarantino movies. Lucy Liu deserves more credit in that regard.
17Michael Fassbender as Archie Hilcox – Inglourious Basterds
This character was played to a wonderful degree byMichael Fassbender, an Irish actor who plays a character with an English accent who in turn must go undercover while sounding like a German. Quite the undertaking, but Fassbender excelled around every conversational corner — particularly with the basement pub scene, drinking and playing games with, well, someone fromInglourious Basterds(2009) who appears later on in the list.
Lieutenant Archie Hilcox was a more prominent character than plenty of others featured herein, with another noteworthy scene of his being the conversation he shared with Mike Meyers’ character about cinema. He always portrayed confidence and assurance in his speech, his upright posture, his rock-solid eye contact — Hilcox may not have been the funniest guy in the room, nor was he quite the smartest, but he always exuded an air of dignity, and Fassbender is largely to thank for that.
16Walton Goggins as Chris Mannix – The Hateful Eight
Despite appearing as a character of similar tendencies in Tarantino’s prior filmDjango Unchained, there’s no doubt thatWalton Gogginstruly shined as Chris Mannix inThe Hateful Eight(2015). Witha star-studded castincluding the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Kurt Russell, Goggins managed to stand out as one of the most impressive performers on set.
Recognized immediately for his lively, off-the-wall, and frankly simple-minded demeanor, Chris Mannix, the new (self-proclaimed) sheriff of Red Rock, induced humor into every scene he was in like the poison that found its way into Minnie’s famous pot of coffee. This wasn’t quite Oscar-caliber in terms of sheer quality of performance, but Mannix remains just as memorable a Tarantino character as anyone else. And that’s in large part due to the brilliant efforts of Walton Goggins.
15Zoë Bell as Herself – Death Proof
Known primarily as a Hollywood stuntwoman,Zoë Bellhas doubled for Lucy Lawless in a television show calledXena: Warrior Princess, as well asCate Blanchett in the MCU filmThor: Ragnarök(2017). Without a doubt, though, Bell’s most famous work as a stuntwoman came from her first collaboration with director Quentin Tarantino, as she doubled for Uma Thurman as The Bride in bothKill Billentries.
InDeath Proof(2007), though, Bell had her first legitimate amount of screen time throughout her appearances in Tarantino’s filmography. And while it wasn’t an overly moving effort, Bell did run the gamut of nearly every other emotion from subtle humor in one moment to revenge-seeking ire in the next. This project as a whole could very well be Tarantino’s mostunderappreciated project, and Bell’s performance fits wonderfully in that overlooked ilk as well.
14Michael Madsen as Budd – Kill Bill: Volume 2
As the brother of the titular character,Michael Madsenappeared in bothKill Bill: Volume 2(2004) and its predecessorKill Bill: Volume 1(2003) as Budd, the brother of the titular character. However, his standout performance as this member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad undoubtedly came with this second entry in Tarantino’s two-part saga.
His efforts aren’t exactly tear-jerking, or anything, but Madsen grabs hold of the role as if he was seeking it out like a briefcase full of money. And, sure, the character himself remains a bit one-dimensional from his introduction to his eventual, savage death at the hands of a Black Mamba owned by Elle Driver. But this was an unexpected plot point, mirroring the surprising extent to which Madsen performed here as Budd. And this is probably the greatest work throughouthis storied history with Tarantino.
13Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike – Death Proof
This was the American actor’s first of three collaborations with Tarantino, and easily his most underrated considering the prominence of his character herein.Death Proof(2007) was by no means a hit with audiences (or critics, for that matter) but a lot of its appeal did revolve around the starring role ofKurt Russellas Stuntman Mike.
As his nickname might suggest, Mike works as a movie stuntman who has abnormally rigged his stunt car to render it totally secure from within the driver’s seat. He could likely fall off a small mountain and manage to survive with the cage-like rig, but anyone who might be in the passenger seat, well — let’s just say they would meet an untimely demise. Stuntman Mike hunts his victims in this manner, either luring them into the car or attacking them with it from its outside. And while it may be an odd premise even for a film abouta serial killer, Kurt Russell sells the lead role with a virtuosity for violence.
12Zoë Bell as Six-Horse Judy – The Hateful Eight
In her fifth of six total collaborations with Tarantino, this is the second appearance ofZoë Bellon the list, and undoubtedly the most underrated. She was actually pretty revered by critics for her role inDeath Proof— it’s just, in the grand scheme of things, given the hundreds of other standout performances from Tarantino’s filmography, most of Bell’s roles get thrown by the modern wayside of audiences.
And with regard toThe Hateful Eight(2015), that was most definitely the case. She appeared as a supporting character named Six-Horse Judy, a stagecoach driver and friend of Minnie, the owner ofa Haberdasheryin which (basically) the entire film takes place. And Six-Horse Judy stands out as a bright, energetic highlight of the film in the mere moments which she’s featured. Bell outdid herself with this one, and not many people seemed to notice.
11Robert De Niro as Louis Gara – Jackie Brown
In his first and only ever collaboration with Tarantino,Robert De Niroappears inJackie Brown(1997) as Louis Gara, friend of Samuel L. Jackson’s character, a gun runner named Ordell. And while De Niro’s role doesn’t necessarily stand out among the actor’s decorated history as both a leading and asupporting man, this role of the latter ilk was undoubtedly a highlight of the project itself.
However, his performance didn’t garner any attention from award associations like those of his contemporaries — namely Pam Grier (as the titular Jackie Brown), Robert Forster (as bail bondsman Max Cherry), and Sam Jackson (as the aforementioned Ordell). In the end, this isn’t just among the most underappreciated efforts from throughout Tarantino’s filmography, but Robert De Niro’s as well.
