Director Quentin Tarantino has created quite a few characters over the course of his career, but only 15 of them can be considered the best. Quentin Tarantino has made a confusing number of movies in his career, and he’s filled them with colorful characters. Some of Tarantino’s best movies have found success primarily because of those characters, and some of them have even been elevated to pop-culture icon levels. With so many iconic characters, however, it can be hard to pick just one as the best.
Tarantino has made a wide variety of films since he made his first short film, My Best Friend’s Wedding, in 1987. That means he’s also created a huge array of characters with different personalities, accomplishments, roles, and other details. The best Tarantino characters all have a few things in common, though. They all excel in at least one thing, whether it be their emotional stories, their importance to the film, or just plain old coolness. These 15 Quentin Tarantino characters all do something the best.
Related Every Quentin Tarantino Cameo In His Own Movies (& Where To Spot Them)
Quentin Tarantino has either played a character or lent his voice to an off-screen presence in almost every movie he has made. Let’s take a look.
15 Major Marquis Warren
Played By: Samuel L. Jackson
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One of the most compelling characters Quentin Tarantino has created, and the best character in The Hateful Eight, was Major Marquis Warren. Seeing Samuel L. Jackson as a bounty hunter in the Old West was interesting enough in its own right, but Warren also got a few chances to shine as a character. Warren basically plays the role of a classic detective in The Hateful Eight, and his powers of deduction make him incredibly interesting. He also has some fascinating quirks, like his Lincoln letter, and some great lines, like his threats, that made Warren an iconic Tarantino character.
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Quentin Tarantino’s 2015 Western incorporates elements of the mystery and thriller genres. Set in 1877, The Hateful Eight follows eight strangers who seek refuge from a blizzard in an isolated stagecoach stopover. Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, and Channing Tatum, The Hateful Eight was inspired by the Western TV shows of 1960s.
Director Quentin Tarantino Release Date December 25, 2015 Studio(s) The Weinstein Company , Shiny Penny , Film Colony , Double Feature Films , Visiona Romantica Distributor(s) The Weinstein Company Writers Quentin Tarantino Cast Zoe Bell , Jennifer Jason Leigh , Michael Madsen , Tim Roth , Channing Tatum , Bruce Dern , Kurt Russell , Samuel L. Jackson , Walton Goggins , James Parks Runtime 188 Minutes Budget $44-62 Million Expand
14 Max Cherry
Played By: Robert Forster
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Quentin Tarantino is known for his over-the-top style, his flashy set pieces, and his devastating violence. Just about the only things that are nuanced about his films are the dialogue, which is purposefully written to be as natural as possible, and one character: Max Cherry in Jackie Brown. Robert Forster’s Max Cherry was straightforward, he was clear, and he didn’t mince his words, which made him a unique entry to Tarantino’s list of characters. Max also had incredible chemistry with Pam Grier’s Jackie, which makes him one of Tarantino’s best love interests to this day.
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Jackie Brown is a 1997 crime thriller directed by Quentin Tarantino. Pam Grier stars as a flight attendant who outsmarts the authorities, her boss, and a ruthless killer after smuggling cash for a gunrunner. The movie counts with an all-star cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson, Robert De Niro, Robert Forster, Michael Keaton, and Bridget Fonda.
Director Quentin Tarantino Release Date December 25, 1997 Studio(s) MiraMax Distributor(s) MiraMax Writers Quentin Tarantino Cast Bridget Fonda , Michael Keaton , Robert Forster , Pam Grier , Samuel L. Jackson , Robert De Niro Runtime 154 minutes Budget $12 million Expand
13 Cliff Booth
Played By: Brad Pitt
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Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood was quite a few things all at once, but Brad Pitt’s Cliff Booth tied it all together admirably. Cliff was a stunt double, fixer, personal assistant, and several other things, which let him connect all the various threads in the movie. From his run-in with the Manson family to his friendship with Rick Dalton, Cliff was great in all the situations he found himself in. He was also responsible for both of the fight sequences in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, and both his imagined fight against Bruce Lee and his real fight against the Mansons were delightful to watch.
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Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, which takes place in Los Angeles in 1969, at the height of hippy Hollywood. The two lead characters are Rick Dalton, the former star of a western TV series, and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth. Both struggle to make it in a Hollywood they don’t recognize anymore, but Rick soon realizes he’s the next-door neighbor of the infamous Sharon Tate.
Director Quentin Tarantino Release Date July 26, 2019 Studio(s) Columbia Pictures , Heyday Films , Bona Film Group , Visiona Romantica Distributor(s) Sony Pictures Releasing Writers Quentin Tarantino Cast Tim Roth , Margot Robbie , Mike Moh , Timothy Olyphant , Al Pacino , Kurt Russell , Leonardo DiCaprio , Dakota Fanning , James Marsden , Brad Pitt , Luke Perry , Bruce Dern , Scoot McNairy , Michael Madsen , Margaret Qualley , Emile Hirsch Runtime 159 minutes Budget $90 million Expand
12 Rick Dalton
Played By: Leonardo DiCaprio
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While Cliff provided quite a bit of action and excitement in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Rick Dalton was still the film’s best character. Dalton was the vehicle Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood used to deliver its main message and really sell the idea that the golden age of Hollywood was dying. He also had some great moments in the movie, from his scene in Lancer to his use of a flamethrower. Though he’s not a typical Quentin Tarantino protagonist, he is among the best.
Related Every Song In Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood transports audiences to 1969 Hollywood with a soundtrack featuring Paul Revere & the Raiders, Deep Purple, and more.
11 Mr. White
Played By: Harvey Keitel
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Reservoir Dogs was an incredibly impressive debut film for Quentin Tarantino, and its success was thanks in large part to Harvey Keitel’s performance as Mr. White. Reservoir Dogs was an almost entirely character-driven story – the diamond thieves spend most of their time in the same warehouse – so having strong personalities was very important. Even with as many iconic performances as the movie had, though, Mr. White managed to stand out. He’s the most moral of a group of hardened criminals, his mercy keeps the entire film going to its tragic conclusion, and he essentially delivers the main message of Reservoir Dogs through his death alone.
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Quentin Tarantino’s feature-length debut Reservoir Dogs is an ensemble movie starring Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Chris Penn, and Edward Bunker. The 1992 film centers around a group of criminals who begin to suspect one of them is an undercover cop when their supposedly perfect diamond heist goes wrong.
Director Quentin Tarantino Release Date October 9, 1992 Studio(s) Live America Inc. , Dog Eat Dog Productions Distributor(s) Miramax Films Writers Quentin Tarantino Cast Quentin Tarantino , Tim Roth , Michael Madsen , Harvey Keitel , Steve Buscemi , Chris Penn Runtime 99 minutes Budget $1-3 Million Main Genre Crime Expand
10 Bill
Played By: David Carradine
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The Kill Bill duology is a classic tale of revenge, but the main reason it feels so unique and special is because of its central antagonist: David Carradine’s Bill. In Kill Bill, Tarantino made the brilliant move of hiding Bill’s face entirely, which granted him a massive amount of mystique, especially after the church massacre. Kill Bill: Volume 2 then made Bill even more interesting by letting Carradine really shine in the role. Bill was fascinatingly manipulative, strangely charming, and incredibly complex. Kill Bill wouldn’t have been the iconic duology it is today without Bill, which easily makes him one of Tarantino’s best.
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Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill is a classic tale of betrayal and revenge. When the Bride (Uma Thurman) awakens from a four-year coma, she sets out to settle the score with the team of assassins that betrayed her at the behest of her former boss, Bill (David Carradine). Tracking and killing the world-class assassins isn’t easy, but the Bride uses all the tools at her disposal in her relentless pursuit of revenge.
Director Quentin Tarantino Release Date October 10, 2003 Writers Quentin Tarantino Cast David Carradine , Michael Madsen , Uma Thurman , Daryl Hannah , Lucy Liu , Vivica A. Fox Runtime 111 minutes Franchise(s) Kill Bill Sequel(s) Kill Bill Vol. 2 Budget $30 million Expand
9 Calvin Candie
Played By: Leonardo DiCaprio
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The only thing Quentin Tarantino likes more than a strong protagonist is a strong villain, and Calvin Candie is proof of that. Though he’s only introduced in the second half of Django Unchained, Leonardo DiCaprio managed to make Candie one of the film’s most memorable characters. From DiCaprio’s hand injury in Django Unchained to Candie’s blinding rage and abhorrent speech about phrenology, Calvin Candie is one of Tarantino’s best antagonists. The Southern slaver is extremely easy to hate, which makes the righteousness of Django’s quest all the better, and makes Candie an important part of the film.
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Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained follows Jamie Foxx’s Django, a Black slave who is freed before becoming a bounty hunter. After meeting German dentist-turned-bounty-hunter Dr. King Schultz, Django sets off to free his wife from the cruel and charismatic plantation owner Calvin Candie. Christophe Waltz stars alongside Foxx, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, and Kerry Washington rounding out the cast of Tarantino’s revisionist Spaghetti Western.
Director Quentin Tarantino Release Date December 25, 2012 Studio(s) Sony Distributor(s) Sony Writers Quentin Tarantino Cast Leonardo DiCaprio , Jonah Hill , Samuel L. Jackson , Jamie Foxx , Kerry Washington , Christoph Waltz Runtime 165 Minutes Budget 100 million Main Genre Western Expand
8 Aldo “The Apache” Raine
Played By: Brad Pitt
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Quentin Tarantino is known for writing colorful and slightly oddball characters, but there’s something about Aldo Raine’s quirks set against the backdrop of World War II that make him stand out. Brad Pitt’s Aldo gave Inglourious Basterds some much-needed comedic relief through his thick southern accent, his harebrained scheme to speak Italian at the movie premiere, and more. Despite his humor, however, Aldo also had chances to be incredibly cool, like in his speeches to the Basterds and his opinions on Nazi uniforms. As the leader and commander of the Basterds, Aldo Raine made quite a name for himself.
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In Nazi-occupied France, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as “The Basterds” execute a mission to terrorize the Third Reich. Simultaneously, a young Jewish cinema owner plots to kill Nazi leaders attending a premiere at her theater. Both plans converge in a high-stakes showdown filled with action and revenge.
Director Quentin Tarantino Release Date August 21, 2009 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Quentin Tarantino Cast Brad Pitt , Diane Kruger , Mélanie Laurent , Christoph Waltz , Eli Roth , Michael Fassbender , Daniel Brühl , Til Schweiger Runtime 153 minutes Budget $70 million Main Genre War Expand
7 Mia Wallace
Played By: Uma Thurman
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Mia Wallace was a bit of a surprise standout in Pulp Fiction, given how many great characters there already are in the film. Though she’s essentially a side project for Vincent Vega, Uma Thurman was able to make Mia an instant hit. She’s unusual in an interesting way, she has some great dance moves, and she provided a great look into Vincent’s character in a variety of scenarios. She was also responsible for one of Pulp Fiction‘s most nailbiting scenes when she accidentally snorted Vincent’s heroin, so Mia was a very important and appreciated part of the movie.
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Quentin Tarantino’s classic tale of violence and redemption follows the intertwining tales of three protagonists: hitman Vincent Vega, prizefighter Butch Coolidge, and Vincent’s business partner Jules Winnfield.
Director Quentin Tarantino Release Date October 14, 1994 Studio(s) A Band Apart , Jersey Films Distributor(s) Miramax Films Writers Quentin Tarantino Cast John Travolta , Bruce Willis , Ving Rhames , Samuel L. Jackson , Uma Thurman , Christopher Walken , Tim Roth , Harvey Keitel , Eric Stoltz , Rosanna Arquette Runtime 154 minutes Budget $8–8.5 million Main Genre Crime Expand
6 Vincent Vega
Played By: John Travolta
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Vincent Vega has some of the most screen time of any character in Pulp Fiction, and he made good use of it. From his near-constant need to use the bathroom to his hilarious mistakes like shooting Marvin in the face and letting Mia overdose, Vincent is one of the most memorable characters in the movie. John Travolta also did a great job at giving Vincent a lot of memorable and humorous qualities, from the chemistry he had with Mia to his conversations with Jules. There’s a reason Pulp Fiction marked a career comeback for Travolta, and it’s because Vincent was such a great character.
Related Pulp Fiction: Why Vincent Vega Was In Amsterdam
In one of the most memorable scenes from Pulp Fiction, Vincent Vega talks about his time in Amsterdam, but what was he doing there? Let’s take a look.
5 Django
Played By: Jamie Foxx
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While he’s not an original Tarantino creation, Jamie Foxx’s Django is easily one of both the actor’s and the director’s most iconic characters. Throughout Django Unchained, Django gets so many chances to be incredibly cool, from lines like “I like the way you die, boy,” to his final scene of walking away from the exploding Candyland. He’s also one of Tarantino’s most sympathetic characters: Django’s quest to save the love of his life from brutal slavers is incredibly easy to root for, and all the violence he carries out during that quest is satisfyingly righteous. Django is a treat to watch throughout the film.
Related Django Unchained: Django’s 14 Greatest Quotes
Django Unchained is some of Quentin Tarantino’s best work, and it provided a lot of powerful and hilariously memorable quotes.
4 Jackie Brown
Played By: Pam Grier
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Quentin Tarantino’s first titular character, Pam Grier’s Jackie Brown, is also one of his greatest. Grier is fantastic in the role of a flight attendant turned criminal mastermind, and everything else Jackie Brown demanded of her. Throughout the movie, Jackie can be tender and loving like she was with Max, cold and distant like she was with the police, and absolutely brilliant and opportunistic like she was with Ordell. She’s also extremely mature and relatable, which makes both her and Jackie Brown very unique for the director. Jackie is probably one of Tarantino’s most varied characters, and also one of his best.
Related Every Song In Jackie Brown
Director Quentin Tarantino is renowned for the songs in his films. His most underrated movie, Jackie Brown, has one of his grooviest soundtracks.
3 Jules Winnfield
Played By: Samuel L. Jackson
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Samuel L. Jackson is one of the few actors to play two iconic Quentin Tarantino roles. Jackson played Jules in Pulp Fiction, and both his performance and his character have become legendary. A big reason Jules is so memorable is because he’s one of Tarantino’s coolest characters – from his “BMF” wallet to his quotations of fictional Bible verses – but he also has a great character arc. By the end of Pulp Fiction, Jules goes from a hardened criminal who’s cool under pressure to a merciful man who has had a religious reawakening, making him one of the few Tarantino characters with a happy ending.
Related Pulp Fiction: Jules’ 15 Most Articulate Quotes
Samuel L. Jackson was amazing in Pulp Fiction, and we’ve compiled some of Jules’ most articulate quotes to remember and enjoy.
2 The Bride
Played By: Uma Thurman
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Perhaps the most instantly recognizable character in Tarantino’s movies is The Bride from the Kill Bill duology. Her yellow tracksuit, Hattori Hanzo katana, and iconic portrayal by Uma Thurman have elevated the Bride to icon status, but those aren’t the only reasons she’s one of the director’s greatest characters. The Bride is one of the strongest female protagonists in any movie, able to cut through an entire club filled with Crazy 88s, but she’s also incredibly human. She’s driven by revenge, rage, and a huge pit of grief at losing her daughter, and such relatable motivations – coupled with her incredible style – made the Bride a legend.
Related Kill Bill: The 20 Most Powerful Quotes
Quentin Tarantino is known for his snappy dialogue and the Kill Bill movies delivered their fair share of showstopping quotes. Here are the best ones.
1 Hans Landa
Played By: Christoph Waltz
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It’s hard to pick just one Tarantino character to consider the best, but if anyone has a case to make for the title, it’s Christoph Waltz for his rendition of Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2010 for his portrayal of a ruthlessly efficient and disturbingly whimsical Nazi officer, and it was well-earned. Landa was far and away the easiest Tarantino villain to hate. He was entertaining to watch, he effortlessly and seamlessly switched his scenes between humor and gripping suspense, and Hans Landa is one of the best villains in Quentin Tarantino’s filmography.
Quentin Tarantino Notable Projects Pulp Fiction , Django Unchained , Inglourious Basterds