How Quentin Tarantino Fired And Rehired His Lead Actor Before Filming

Director Quentin Tarantino removed actor Mélanie Laurent from his 2009 film after an unsuccessful group reading of the script. Author Jay Glennie documents this behind-the-scenes detail in the new book "The Making of Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds." Tarantino explained that group readings give him his very first chance to hear the entire script performed out loud by the cast.

Second Chance

Laurent called the filmmaker a few days after losing the job to ask for another chance. She explained that she felt sick during the initial gathering and offered to fly to Germany at her own expense to audition again. Tarantino agreed to restart the casting process on the condition that she complete three days of rehearsals with him. Her work during those sessions convinced him to restore her to the part of the vengeful cinema owner. Tarantino later praised her final performance while discussing the book.

Cast Changes

Isabelle Huppert faced a different outcome after missing the same group reading. Tarantino dropped her from the project because of the skipped session and ongoing contract delays. Her original part as a Paris theater owner was given to Maggie Cheung instead. However, filmmakers ultimately deleted all of Cheung's scenes from the finished movie because they provided too much unnecessary backstory.

Context

Film directors often hold preliminary script readings with their actors before principal photography begins to test the dialogue and chemistry. These early sessions help creative teams spot potential problems before spending money on full production. Major motion pictures frequently undergo significant casting adjustments and script cuts during their early development stages.