The one thing that can make Uma Thurman turn down any role: “Sorry, guys”
Ask anyone to name an Uma Thurman role and, chances are, they’ll say one of three options. Two have been the product of a Quentin Tarantino movie: Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction and The Bride from the ‘Kill Bill’ duology, while the third is Poison Ivy from the ill-fated superhero film Batman & Robin.
Thurman has, of course, starred in countless other major films, but that’s not why we’re here. We’re here to discuss the roles she didn’t take.
Perhaps the biggest part that the star rejected was that of Eowyn in Peter Jackson’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. She passed on the chance to play the scourge of the Witch King of Angmar, leaving the door open for Miranda Otto to take the job instead. Depending on who you believe, she also passed on roles in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and the original I Know What You Did Last Summer, handing the parts to Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Love Hewitt, respectively.
There are many reasons why an actor might say no to a possible job, no matter how enticing it looks on paper. An actor has to commit weeks, if not months of gruelling work to a project, so they need to make sure it’s suitable before they sign on the dotted line. Scheduling clashes, disagreements over pay, and studio interference can all scupper a star’s chances to play a major role. According to Thurman, however, there are two things that will immediately turn her off a potential casting.
In a 2025 interview with The News, the pioneering woman of action explained that she is “really, really practical” when it comes to selecting her next job. “If there’s not a big enough budget and there’s a bunch of crap underwater, I’m just like, ‘Sorry, guys,’” she revealed. “I’m like, ‘What’s your budget? There’s a bunch of underwater stuff here? No.’”
A quick glance at Thurman’s filmography reveals only one film that is mostly set near or on water: the 1995 romcom A Month by the Lake. As for her comments about money, you might expect this to rule out any film with a budget less than $100million.
Instead, you can find the star appearing in relatively small pictures to this day. She had a role in Paul Schrader’s Oh, Canada, a low-budget indie affair, and also lent her voice to the Korean animated movie The King of Kings, which had a budget equivalent to around $25million. That being said, her most recent film at the time of writing is The Old Guard 2, a tentpole Netflix release.
This attitude might come across as something akin to snobbery. Surely it shouldn’t matter how much the film costs or how wet it is; it’s about how good the story is. Even if Thurman were being snobby, though, she’s more than earned the right. She’s been in the game for a long time now and has provided countless hours of quality performances for millions of people across the globe. She’s also put up with her fair share of stinkers and needs to protect herself from any future harm.
Whatever you think of Thurman’s reasoning, you have to at least admire her honesty. Don’t expect to see her in a low-budget remake of Jaws any time soon.
