Tarantino Not Replacing Thurman in Kill Bill

ByABC News
August 17, 2001, 6:50 PM

August 15 -- Quentin Tarantino's long-awaited new film, Kill Bill, about a woman who kills men who have wronged her, is on hold while the director waits out the pregnancy of his chosen leading lady, Uma Thurman.

Tarantino denied rumors that he was looking to replace Thurman with Charlie's Angels star Lucy Liu to avoid the delay. The Pulp Fiction director told Ain't It Cool News' Harry Knowles last week that his meetings with Liu, for whom he has written a small part in the film, were misconstrued. Liu has not yet signed for the role, but Tarantino tells Knowles he hopes she will.

Also apparently unfounded were rumors that Warren Beatty, who will reportedly play a pimp (!) in the film, urged Tarantino to recast Thurman's role with Winona Ryder or Gwyneth Paltrow. Beatty's rep, Pat Kingslely, tells the New York Post that the report is "complete nonsense."

Tarantino has told Variety that production on what he calls "the ultimate revenge flick" will start in January.