Hollywood’s Irony: A Father’s Fame Through the Son He Never Knew
Ever heard the name Quentin Tarantino? The legendary director behind cool films like Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, or Reservoir Dogs? Well, who would’ve thought, behind his genius, there’s a family story that’s pretty mind-boggling.
It’s about his father, Tony Tarantino, who actually became famous after his son became a global sensation. Kind of upside down, right?
The “Missing” Father
So, here’s the deal: Tony Tarantino was an actor himself. But honestly, before Quentin’s name shot to fame, who knew Tony? Almost no one.
That’s because Tony and Quentin had a relationship that you could say… was non-existent. They were extremely estranged, never even talked.
Tony and Quentin’s mother met when Tony was in his early twenties. They got married. When Quentin was just a toddler, Tony divorced his ex-wife. He left both her and his son behind. So, Quentin grew up without his father’s presence.
Ironically, after Quentin became a top-tier director, the last name “Tarantino” actually became a blessing for Tony.
An Actor’s Dream and a “Crazy” Agent
Tony really did have a dream of becoming an actor. His skills were decent, not terrible, but not exceptional either. The problem was, he needed an agent. And unfortunately, he got the worst agent in all of Hollywood: Henry Wilson.
You’d definitely recognize the character of Henry Wilson if you’ve ever watched Ryan Murphy’s series called Hollywood. Jim Parsons plays the role of Henry Wilson. Wilson is portrayed as an aggressive, lewd, and creepy agent. He was indeed known as a rotten character.
Wilson offered Tony a chance to get into movies, but with a nauseating condition: Tony had to “do certain things.” These things meant sleeping with Wilson and other men. Basically, Tony had to prostitute himself. Tony, known for his hot temper, immediately blew up. He didn’t hesitate to sucker-punch the old pervert.
Wilson’s eyes blazed after being punched. He immediately said, “No one by the name of Tarantino will ever work in Hollywood ever again!” Ugh, Tony really burned all his bridges. As a result, his career went nowhere. He rarely got jobs, was constantly out of work, until finally…
“Tarantino” Was the Key to Success!
Until when? Until 1992, when the film Reservoir Dogs was released. Quentin Tarantino instantly became a sensation, an overnight star. Quentin became a sought-after director, his name was everywhere. Meanwhile, Henry Wilson had long been dead and buried.
And that’s when the magic (or irony) happened. Suddenly, having the last name Tarantino became awfully lucrative!
Quentin Tarantino is truly a great director. His father, Tony Tarantino, might just be a “B-list” actor. But as mentioned, just by sharing the same last name, Tony managed to get some roles in films. He never even met or remembered his son.
So, you could say this is one of those rare cases. Here, a father “piggybacked” off his son’s fame. It usually happens the other way around. What do you think, isn’t the Tarantino family story quite unique?
