Quentin Tarantino is not just a great filmmaker; he also tells excellent anecdotes. Being an industry veteran, he’s had every possible encounter with famous people. He is also privy to much information that makes for great stories at a party. On the podcast ‘Two Bears One Cave,’ Quentin Tarantino told a story of how he cast Bruce Willis in ‘Pulp Fiction.’
Bruce Willis played Butch Coolidge, a stubborn pugilist who finds himself in trouble after double-crossing a mafia boss. Bruce Willis was a massive action movie star with a mixed bag of movies on his resume. Despite not being the first choice, Tarantino talked about how Bruce lobbied for the part.
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Matt Dillion Was Supposed To Play Butch Coolidge in ‘Pulp Fiction’
Quentin Tarantino wrote the part of Butch for Matt Dillon, a great admirer of Tarantino’s debut movie ‘Reservoir Dogs‘. Tarantino told the host Tom Segura that Miramax wanted at least A-listers to play Butch. Dillon, however, was only interested in playing Vincent Vega in the movie.
This created a situation for Quentin Tarantino. The making of ‘Pulp Fiction‘ rested on casting actors Miramax studio would instantly approve of, as Miramax was looking for bankable stars who would bring attention to the movie. After sitting on it for some time, Matt Dillon ultimately passed on the offer to play Butch. Tarantino, who thought Dillon was a shoo-in, was left with another actor to cast in a significant part.
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How Bruce Willis Got To Play Butch in ‘Pulp Fiction’
While attending his friend Harvey Keital’s party, Quentin Tarantino met Bruce Willis for the first time. As they got to talking, both expressed admiration for each other. Word travels fast in Hollywood; Willis had already read the ‘Pulp Fiction‘ script before attending Harvey Kietel’s party.
Bruce Willis, a suave guy, invited the filmmaker to his home. Willis told Quentin he had read ‘Pulp Fiction‘ during their walk. Willis wasted no time telling Quentin about his desire to play Vincent Vega. Tarantino admitted to already talking to John Travolta for the part. This only made Willis plead for his case, but Tarantino didn’t change his mind.
Willis soon changed gears and told Quentin he could play Jules, with some changes to the part. Caught between his commitments, Tarantino said it couldn’t be done. Still determined to find a place for Willis, Quentin asked him to play Butch since the actor clearly understood the humor in the script.
Quentin Tarantino was convinced Bruce Willis would make an excellent Butch. The idea for Butch was a leading man from the 1950s movie, and Bruce Willis perfectly fit the bill. On Tarantino’s suggestion, he went through the script one more time. The following day, Bruce Willis said yes to playing Butch; the rest is history!
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