Daniella Pick Says Quentin Tarantino Will 'Die as a Zionist' as Couple Commit to Life in Tel Aviv

It is the kind of quote that could only come from the mind of Quentin Tarantino. As bombs fell near their Tel Aviv home, the legendary Hollywood director had an unexpected, darkly humorous retort for his wife, Daniella Pick, who was urging him towards the safety of a bomb shelter.

''Well, whatever. Like if something happens, I'll die as a Zionist,'' Pick recalled him saying during a candid, emotional interview with Danny Hecht for Channel 12 news. 'So I said, 'Well, OK.''

The astonishing remark encapsulates the intensely private and utterly unconventional life the couple has carved out in Israel. For years, the pair—who married in 2018 and share two young children—have made their home in north Tel Aviv.

As the conflict escalated, the question of whether the director of classics like Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds would flee back to the US was, for Pick, never really a question at all.

'Absolutely not,' she stated when asked about returning to Hollywood. 'First of all, Quentin takes it the easiest way in the world. Most of the time, he wouldn't even go down to the shelter if I didn't tell him, and ... I have two small children in my arms, so he helps me ... He isn't afraid.'

She reiterated the unwavering commitment to their life abroad: 'It was during the war that Tarantino said, 'We'll be here.' It was clear.' Despite recent reports suggesting Tarantino might be working on a play in London, Pick firmly stated that there are no plans to uproot their family from the comfortable neighbourhood they call home.

Tarantino, who is famously known for his hands-on approach to filmmaking, appears to be adopting the same dedication to his domestic life.

The director, who is also learning Hebrew, has previously spoken of his immense enjoyment of Israeli life, telling reporters: 'I love it [in Israel]. If I didn't love it, I wouldn't be there. Playing with my kids, walking around the neighbourhood, or riding my bike around the neighbourhood. Just going out with my good friends and having fun, drinking and smoking cigars, or having dinner with my good friends.'

Quentin's Surprising Domesticity and the New Role for Daniella Pick

Daniella Pick—an accomplished actress, model, and singer—spoke glowingly of her husband's transformation from Hollywood's most notorious bachelor to a devoted family man.

'And he's an amazing father, I have to say that,' she revealed. 'He's warm, family-oriented, huggable, funny, and playful, and he's also an amazing and supportive husband, and he always pushes me, and we get along really well. From the first moment we met in life, we got along really well.'

The two first met in 2009 while Tarantino was doing publicity for his WWII epic Inglourious Basterds. After an instant attraction, they danced the night away and eventually married seven years ago.

The interview also offered a peek inside the couple's north Tel Aviv residence, including a glimpse of the elaborate screening room, a must-have for a director famous for his obsessive love of cinema. Pick recalled buying the comfortable leather seats in the US, knowing Tarantino would spend a great deal of time there.

'Yes, it's a good door. And with a mezuzah, of course, that's important to him,' she said, quickly admitting she was joking about the director's adherence to tradition: 'No, I don't think he noticed there was a mezuzah here. I didn't notice either until this moment.'

Tarantino loves to share his viewing experience, which, Pick suggests, makes even the more challenging films palatable.

He noted: 'We have very good movie nights with our friends. We saw Sorcerer, we saw Papillon, and it was amazing. We saw Straw Dogs, and it was amazing. Daniella can handle even the more difficult films when there is an audience that understands it too, and then she is more involved with it than when I force it on her when we are alone.'

The Family Harmony That Changed Quentin Tarantino, According to Daniella Pick

The director has also been instrumental in supporting his wife's career. After a cameo in his last film, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, Pick has taken a major role in the new movie, The Perfect Gamble, directed by Israeli filmmaker Danny A. Abeckaser.

Co-starring Abeckaser and David Arquette (best known for the Scream franchise), the film follows a high-stakes gambler caught up with the local mafia in Tbilisi.

'This is my first Hollywood premiere," she shared about the film's launch. 'This will be the first red carpet I've walked on for my film, and it's really very exciting.'

Tarantino's advice for her preparations was, naturally, all about the craft. 'My most important piece of advice was to know the lines ... I helped her learn her lines,' he said.

Pick's rehearsal method was uniquely modern and domestic: 'The truth is, I recorded Quentin on the phone in voicemail, and then I just went over them at home. I did laundry, dishes, everything I needed to do, and I would hear the lines and answer myself.'

The two are also collaborating on a new series, which Pick will star in, alongside her renewed focus on recording new music.

The conversation turned solemn when discussing the death of her father, Israeli pop icon Zvika Pick.

'It's not for nothing that I haven't been interviewed until now, it's just too hard. Very hard,' she admitted, her voice cracking. 'And that's it, I can't even talk about it without crying. My father didn't like people crying. For me, the most important thing is that his songs will always continue to be played.'

In lighter domestic revelations, Pick confirmed that Tarantino's palate is as intense as his filmmaking, confessing that his love for spicy food is far beyond her own tolerance. When cooking for him, 'I take a taste and drink three glasses of water, over and over again until it's spicy enough, and he says, 'Yes, it's spicy.''

Reflecting on their journey, Pick revealed that her husband never thought he would have this life. 'There was a time when he really thought that maybe it wouldn't happen for him, this whole family thing,' she said. 'I'm very happy for him that it happened, after everything he dreamed of before happened to him, which was making the films. I'm happy for him that he was able to fulfil himself in writing as well as a father and as a partner.'

For Pick, the partnership is allowing her to flourish professionally, too. 'After being busy for a good few years with being at home, being with the kids, giving birth to them, and getting to this place where we have a home, which is strong and fun, from here I can just flourish. I can go out, work, and come back. I have perfect harmony now in terms of how I feel about myself.'