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Pam Grier bombed her ‘Pulp Fiction’ audition in 1993, unaware it was a blessing in disguise
Pam Grier did not get the role of Jody in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film Pulp Fiction, despite his admiration for her earlier work. The audition nevertheless helped lead to a later collaboration, as Tarantino remained keen to work with her.
Grier recalled seeing posters of herself in Tarantino’s office before auditioning opposite Eric Stoltz, who had already been cast as Lance. Tarantino said he could not picture Stoltz’s character convincingly confronting Grier’s imposing presence, while Grier joked that she was too tall for him. She later played the lead in Tarantino’s 1997 film Jackie Brown.
In short
- Pam Grier auditioned for Jody in Pulp Fiction but did not get the role.
- Eric Stoltz’s casting affected Tarantino’s view of the pairing.
- The audition helped pave the way for Jackie Brown.
Explained simply
Pulp Fiction is a 1994 crime film by writer and director Quentin Tarantino, told through several connected stories in Los Angeles. Pam Grier, an actor known for starring in 1970s crime films, auditioned for the part of Jody, the wife of drug dealer Lance, played by Eric Stoltz.
Grier did not get the part, but Tarantino admired her earlier work and later cast her as the lead in Jackie Brown, his 1997 film based on a crime novel by Elmore Leonard. The two films marked different points in Grier’s career and linked her earlier screen roles with a new collaboration.