Pulp Fiction became a massive box office hit after its premiere in 1994, and to this day is famous for its dark humor, unexpected twists, and graphic violence.
It follows Vincent Vega, who has a penchant for philosophical ramblings, and his intimidating partner Jules Winnfield.
Their paths cross with Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman), a washed-up boxer named Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis), and a diner-robbing couple Pumpkin (Tim Roth) and Honey Bunny (Amanda Plummer).
And fans were thrilled when the cast reunited at a special screening of the film, during the 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Uma, John, Samuel L. Jackson and Harvey Keitel were seen posing for snaps on the red carpet – 30 years after the film was first released.
Read on to find out what cast members Uma, John, Samuel, Bruce and more have been up to since the release of the Oscar-winning film.
The cast of Pulp Fiction reunited at a 30th anniversary screening of the film, during the 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival in Los Angeles on Thursday
Pulp Fiction became a massive box office hit after its premiere in 1994, and to this day is famous for its dark humor, unexpected twists, and graphic violence
Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace
Uma’s portrayal of Mia Wallace remains iconic in cinematic history.
Playing the enigmatic and alluring wife of mob boss Marsellus Wallace captivated audiences worldwide, propelling her to fame.
Her chemistry with Travolta, which hit a high note in the famed dancing scene , added depth to their onscreen banter as well.
The character was even the featured character of the film’s promotional material, appearing on a bed with a cigarette in hand.
Pulp Fiction not only achieved commercial success, grossing over $200 million worldwide, but also garnered widespread critical acclaim, earning seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Uma herself received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes and Academy Awards for her role.
Before landing her role in Pulp Fiction, Thurman had appeared in various minor roles in both film and television.
The film is widely recognized for propelling her into stardom and initiating her illustrious career, encompassing notable works like Gattaca, Kill Bill, and Nymphomaniac.
Uma shares two children with ex-husband Ethan Hawke, daughter Maya and son Levon.
She gave birth to a second daughter, Luna (though her full name is Rosalind Arusha Arkadina Altalune Florence Thurman-Busson), with her ex-fiancé, French businessman Arpad Busson.
Uma’s daughter Maya broke out as an actress after her role as Robin in the third season of Stranger Things.
Uma herself received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes and Academy Awards for her role
John Travolta as Vincent Vega
Travolta famously played heroin-addicted gangster Vincent in the movie, which also starred Ving Rhames, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer, among others.
Pulp Fiction and writer-director Tarantino has been credited with resurrecting Travolta’s career after the film became a huge smash hit in 1994.
In the years prior, Travolta didn’t see much success at the box office through much of the 80s and early 90s, apart from the Look Who’s Talking franchise.
John was already a major star when he was cast as Vincent Vega in the film – but his career had slowed down before his casting.
He then went on to star in notable films such as, Hairspray, Primary Colors and Gotti.
Outside of acting, Travolta is also a singer-songwriter. He has released nine albums, including four singles that have charted on the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 40.
His albums have typically accompanied films he has starred in, such as Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture (1978)–which topped the Billboard 200.
Travolta was in a relationship with actress Diana Hyland, who he met while filming The Boy in the Plastic Bubble in 1975, and they remained together until her death from breast cancer in 1977.
In 1988 while filming The Experts, Travolta met actress Kelly Preston, whom he married in Paris in 1991. They had three children: Jett, Ella Bleu, and Benjamin.
His beloved first child Jett passed away in January 2009 at the age of 16 while the family were vacationing in the Bahamas.
He suffered a seizure and hit his head on the bathtub at the Old Bahama Bay Hotel.
Preston passed away at the age of 57 in July 2020 after a battle with breast cancer.
Travolta sported a bald look for the event, unlike his character (R) who rocked shoulder-length raven tresses in the iconic film
Samuel L. Jackson as Jules Winnfield
Jackson’s breakout performance was as Jules Winnfield in Quentin Tarantino’s crime drama Pulp Fiction (1994) which earned him a BAFTA Award win and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
He further collaborated with Tarantino, acting in Jackie Brown, Kill Bill: Volume 2, Django Unchained, and The Hateful Eight.
However, in 202 Jackson clapped back at his palTarantino who made waves when he said actors in Marvel films are ‘not movie stars.’
Jackson is in a unique position to discuss the subject as he has starred in several Marvel Cinematic Universe films in addition to working with Quentin on iconic films Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, and Django Unchained.
‘That’s not a big controversy for me to know that apparently these actors are movie stars.’
He also brought up the late Chadwick Boseman who had been nominated for an Oscar and starred in one of the biggest Marvel films of all-time before his untimely death at the age of 43 in August 2020.
Samuel continued: ‘That’s not a big controversy for me to know that apparently these actors are movie stars. Chadwick Boseman is Black Panther. You can’t refute that, and he’s a movie star.’
In 2022, he received the Academy Honorary Award as ‘a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across genres and generations and audiences worldwide’.
Jackson is now one of the most widely recognised actors of his generation, and the films he has appeared in have collectively grossed over $27 billion worldwide, making him the highest-grossing actor of all time.
He later made his Broadway debut in 2011 when he played Martin Luther King Jr. in The Mountaintop. He returned to Broadway in 2022 to star in August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson.
In 2023, Jackson became the latest face of UK’s biggest bakery brand Warburtons – joining a series of notable A-list Hollywood legends including Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, and George Clooney.
Jackson has been married to actress LaTanya Richardson since 1980, and they share one daughter, Zoe.
Jackson’s character, Jules Winnfield (R) delivered several iconic lines in Pulp Fiction
Bruce Willis as Butch Coolidge
Bruce was already a major star when he was cast as Butch Coolidge in Pulp Fiction.
His other notable credits include The Last Boy Scout, 12 Monkeys, The Fifth Element, Armageddon, Sin City and Red.
In the last few years of his career, he starred in many low-budget direct-to-video films, which were poorly received. Willis retired from acting in 2022 due to aphasia.
Bruce was married to actress Demi Moore from 1987 to 2000, and they have three daughters – Rumer, Scout and Tallulah. Willis and Moore have maintained a close relationship after their divorce.
In 2009, Willis married model Emma Heming, with whom he shares daughters Mabel and Evelyn.
In February 2023, Bruce’s family revealed the actor had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) – less than one year after he retired from acting due to his battle with brain disorder, aphasia.
Bruce withdrew from acting in 2022 as he began his fight with the illness that caused his language abilities to deteriorate – and his condition later ‘progressed’ according to a joint statement from his family.
FTD affects the lobes of the brain behind the forehead, which deal with behaviour, problem-solving, planning and emotions – with symptoms including personality changes, obsessive behaviour and speaking difficulties.
The statement, from his wife Emma, ex-wife Demi and five daughters , which was posted on The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration’s website, read: ‘Our family wanted to start by expressing our deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support and wonderful stories we have all received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis.
‘In the spirit of that, we wanted to give you an update about our beloved husband, father and friend since we now have a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing.
Bruce was already a major star when he was cast as Butch Coolidge in Pulp Fiction
Elsewhere, his co-star Travolta wrote following the diagnosis: ‘Bruce and I became good friends when we shared 2 of our biggest hits together, Pulp Fiction and Look Who’s Talking.’
‘Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD).
‘Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.
‘FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone. For people under 60, FTD is the most common form of dementia, and because getting the diagnosis can take years, FTD is likely much more prevalent than we know.
‘Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead. As Bruce’s condition advances, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs far more awareness and research.
‘Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others, and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately.
‘We know in our hearts that – if he could today — he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connectedness with those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families.
‘Ours is just one family with a loved one who suffers from FTD, and we encourage others facing it to seek out the wealth of information and support available through AFTD (@theaftd, theaftd.org).
‘And for those of you who have been fortunate enough to not have any personal experience with FTD, we hope that you will take the time to learn about it, and support AFTD’s mission in whatever way you can.
‘Bruce has always found joy in life – and has helped everyone he knows to do the same. It has meant the world to see that sense of care echoed back to him and to all of us.
‘We have been so moved by the love you have all shared for our dear husband, father, and friend during this difficult time. Your continued compassion, understanding, and respect will enable us to help Bruce live as full a life as possible.’
The statement was signed by Emma, Demi, and his daughters Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn.
Elsewhere, his co-star Travolta wrote following the diagnosis: ‘Bruce and I became good friends when we shared 2 of our biggest hits together, Pulp Fiction and Look Who’s Talking.
‘Years later he said to me, ‘John, I just want you to know that when something good happens to you I feel like it’s happening to me.’ That’s how generous a soul he is. I love you Bruce.’
Bruce did not attend the special screening, as he’s been battling with degenerative brain disease frontotemporal dementia (FTD). His wife Emma Heming Willis, 45, and daughter Tallulah Willis, 30 — whom he shares with ex Demi Moore, 61 — attended instead
Since the Die Hard star’s devastating dementia diagnosis, his adoring family have rallied around him – he has five daughters (Pictured in April 2020)
Quentin Tarantino as Jimmie
Pulp Fiction was Tarantino’s second film and won numerous awards, including the Palme d’Or and the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
As well as directing the dark comedy crime thriller, Tarantino also starred as Jimmie.
In 2020, Tarantino signed a two-book deal with HarperCollins. He published his first novel in June 2021 called Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
It was recently reported that Tarantino has pulled the plug on new project The Movie Critic, which was reported in February to have Brad Pitt attached to star in their third movie project together.
Now Deadline reports that Tarantino has simply ‘changed his mind’ about the project and will not move forward with it.
Tarantino reportedly had rewritten the script which had delayed the start of production, though now it isn’t happening altogether.
The filmmaker is said to have, ‘gone back to the drawing board,’ to try and figure out what his 10th and still final film would be.
QT has said for years that he plans on retiring after his 10th film, which apparently still seems to be the plan, just not with The Movie Critic.
There were other reports from The Hollywood Reporter that claimed the writer-director’s rewrites changed the film quite drastically.
The story was to be set in 1977 Los Angeles, and follow the title character, inspired by both a real-life movie critic and his first job as a teenager, stocking porn magazines into vending machines.
This wouldn’t be the first time that Tarantino has pulled the plug on a movie project abruptly.
Back in early 2014, it was revealed that Tarantino was pulling the plug on The Hateful Eight, after he sent the script to a small group of trusted actors.
One of those actors shared the script with his agent, and it had subsequently been shared all over town, which caused Tarantino to pull the plug on it.
He later came around after a live-read for charity drew rave reviews, which lead him to go into production, with the film released in 2015.
There were a few other projects Tarantino has bandied about that never came to fruition, like the oft-rumored Vega Brothers project that would have starred Michael Madsen as Vic Vega from 1992’s Reservoir Dogs and John Travolta as Vincent Vega from 1994’s Pulp Fiction.
He was also at one point developing an R-rated Star Trek project for Paramount though that never moved forward either.
Tarantino married his wife, Daniella Pick, in 2018, and they have a son and a daughter.
Pulp Fiction was Tarantino’s second film and won numerous awards, including the Palme d’Or and the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay
Maria de Medeiros as Fabienne
Pulp Fiction became one of Portuguese actress Maria de Medeiros’ most memorable roles. She played Butch’s seductive girlfriend.
But before the 1994 hit, she’d acted in ‘Silvestre,’ ‘1871,’ and ‘Henry and June,’ among other projects.
Through the years, De Medeiros has had a successful acting career in Europe.
She is also a director, having presented her first feature film, April Captains, at the Cannes Film Festival in 2000.
Outside of acting, she’s released four albums to date — the most recent being 2016’s ‘The Piano’s Playing the Devil’s Tune’.
Pulp Fiction became one of Portuguese actress Maria de Medeiros’ most memorable roles. She played Butch’s seductive girlfriend
