Uma Thurman Warns Maya Hawke About Quentin Tarantino's Rumoured Foot Fetish: 'Keep Your Shoes On'

Maya Hawke has unintentionally fanned the flames of long-standing rumours that Quentin Tarantino has a 'foot fetish', following a recent conversation about working with the director.

During an appearance on Amy Poehler's Good Hang podcast, the Stranger Things actress was asked whether her mother, Uma Thurman, had offered any guidance before she worked with Tarantino in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, given Thurman's own iconic collaborations with the director.

Uma Thurman's Advice for Maya Hawke

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hawke responded with 'Keep your shoes on', which made her and Poehler laugh. Poehler repeated the advice and called it 'perfect'.

The humour in the exchange came from how well-known the joke has become in the film industry. For years, viewers and actors have noted that Tarantino includes close-up shots of women's bare feet in several of his films.

By offering this advice, Thurman appeared to be acknowledging the popular perception without directly criticizing Tarantino or confirming his personal preferences.

Rumours of Tarantino's Interest in Feet

Tarantino's rumoured interest in feet came from the number of barefoot scenes in his films.

Examples often cited include sequences involving Margot Robbie and Margaret Qualley in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, as well as Dakota Fanning in the same film.

Similar choices have appeared in earlier works, such as Kill Bill, featuring Thurman herself, and Death Proof.

Robbie has openly acknowledged the conversation, but she has emphasised that she did not feel uncomfortable or objectified while working with him on set. She earlier said that she felt 'very cared for' during filming and noted that Tarantino gave her a lot of creative freedom and trusted that the foot shots are his artistic choices. Her comments were later cited as a counterpoint to speculations about Tarantino's intentions.

Actors have publicly teased him about the trend. During his SAG Awards acceptance speech in 2020, Brad Pitt included a playful reference, thanking several actresses 'and their feet'. The comment drew laughter at the time, with several actors and actresses in the audience recognising the running joke.

Tarantino has previously responded to the speculation, saying that he does not treat the subject as a serious criticism, despite negative social media reactions. He argued that focusing on feet is not unique to him and noted that other major filmmakers have used similar shots for stylistic or thematic reasons. He cited directors, including Luis Buñuel and Alfred Hitchcock, as examples of artists who have faced similar commentaries.

Thurman and Tarantino's Shared History

Hawke's advice from her mother came from Thurman's close working relationship with Tarantino.

She starred in Pulp Fiction in 1994 and later in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Vol 2. Hawke was, then, cast in Tarantino's 2019 film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, more than a decade after Thurman's collaborations. She played a member of the fictionalised Manson family, named Flower Child.

Despite the comment, Hawke does not suggest any negative personal experience working with Tarantino. Neither Thurman nor any of the actresses with foot scenes has suggested that Tarantino acted inappropriately on set.