Pulp Fiction wasn’t just a movie—it was a full-blown cultural event. Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 masterpiece hit theaters with a bang on October 14, and the shockwaves are still felt today. After winning Cannes’ prestigious Palme d’Or and nabbing the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, it turned into the kind of film that even those suburban teenagers quoting the “Royale with Cheese” speech could agree was iconic. But beyond the burgers and the unforgettable dance moves, one question remains: what has the cast of Pulp Fiction been up to since its release?
We’ve shuffled things around to keep things fresh, but rest assured—Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, and Uma Thurman are still the stars leading this throwback parade. Get ready to catch up with Jules, Vincent, Mia, and all the rest of the misfits from Quentin Tarantino’s groundbreaking film.
Samuel L. Jackson (Jules Winnfield)
Samuel L. Jackson’s career was chugging along just fine before Pulp Fiction came into his life, but after portraying Jules Winnfield, the scripture-quoting hitman, Jackson’s career exploded like… well, like Marvin’s head in the back of Vincent’s car. While he had already played memorable roles, including a chain-smoking scientist in Jurassic Park, it was his turn in Pulp Fiction that officially launched him to superstardom.
Fast forward to today, and Samuel L. Jackson is one of Hollywood’s most prolific actors, with more than 200 credits on his IMDb profile. He’s become the face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Nick Fury and earned some lightsaber-wielding cred in the Star Wars franchise as Jedi Master Mace Windu. But Jackson has never been about fitting neatly into one genre. Whether it’s Spike Lee’s psychological drama Eve’s Bayou or the unforgettable absurdity of Snakes on a Plane, he just goes for it. And then there are Tarantino’s other films, in which Jackson is practically a staple—showing up in everything from Django Unchained to The Hateful Eight.
Jackson has never quite forgiven the Academy for snubbing him after Pulp Fiction. While he did receive an honorary Oscar in 2022, Pulp Fiction remains his only official nomination. He’s still doing what he does best: being everywhere at once and staying in the spotlight with a little help from his wife of over 40 years, actress LaTanya Richardson Jackson. Their daughter Zoe Jackson is making waves of her own, producing TV favorites like Top Chef.
John Travolta (Vincent Vega)
If there was any role that could have yanked John Travolta out of a career lull, it was Vincent Vega—the heroin-shooting, McDonald’s-in-France appreciating hitman in Pulp Fiction. Travolta was already a household name, having starred in Saturday Night Fever, Grease, and Urban Cowboy in the late ’70s and early ’80s. But by the time Pulp Fiction rolled around, his career was on the downslide—until Tarantino handpicked him to play Vincent, and his fortune took a massive upswing.
Post-Pulp Fiction, Travolta found his groove again with films like Get Shorty, Michael, and Face/Off, even reprising his hitman persona for Get Shorty’s sequel, Be Cool. His range has been on full display, from playing a psychic in Phenomenon to an archangel in Michael. And then there are his commercials—something about Travolta dressing up as his beloved Grease character Danny Zuko has always made fans smile. Travolta’s career has been a rollercoaster, but through it all, he’s shown he’s got charisma in spades.
Travolta’s personal life has been marked by ups and downs—he was married to actress Kelly Preston for nearly three decades before her death in 2020. Their oldest son, Jett, passed away in 2009, but Travolta continues to be there for his remaining children, proving himself to be a devoted father.
Uma Thurman (Mia Wallace)
Uma Thurman wasn’t initially on Quentin Tarantino’s shortlist for Mia Wallace, but one screen test later, and she was the iconic Mrs. Wallace—the character who cemented her place in pop culture history with a foot massage argument and a wild dance competition. It didn’t just make Thurman a household name; it was also the start of her creative collaboration with Tarantino that would eventually lead to Kill Bill.
Thurman has had an eclectic post-Pulp Fiction career, starring in everything from the sci-fi thriller Gattaca to the infamous Batman & Robin, where she chewed the scenery as Poison Ivy. After kicking her way through two Kill Bill movies, she made the leap to television, showing up in the musical series Smash and lending her talents to Broadway. Most recently, she played the President of the United States in the queer rom-com Red, White & Royal Blue, and reunited with Jackson in the darkly comedic The Kill Room.
Offscreen, Thurman’s legacy is alive and well through her daughter Maya Hawke, who has made a name for herself in Stranger Things. Thurman shares Maya and son Levon with her ex-husband Ethan Hawke, and also has a daughter with financier Arpad Busson.
Bruce Willis (Butch Coolidge)
Bruce Willis had already made a name for himself as an action hero by the time he signed on to play Butch Coolidge, the boxer trying to outrun his troubles. Die Hard had made Willis an international star, but the early ’90s found him in a bit of a slump—which a scrappy little indie like Pulp Fiction was perfectly positioned to rectify.
Following Pulp Fiction, Willis leaned back into blockbuster action fare with films like 12 Monkeys, The Fifth Element, and The Sixth Sense. He was even in Planet Terror, Robert Rodriguez’s contribution to the Tarantino-adjacent Grindhouse project. Unfortunately, Willis’ career came to a sudden halt in 2022 when he announced his retirement after being diagnosed with aphasia, a disorder that affects communication. His family later revealed he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.
Willis is still beloved by fans, and his old friend John Travolta expressed his appreciation for their time on Pulp Fiction together in a heartfelt Instagram post after Willis’ diagnosis. Willis has five daughters—three with ex-wife Demi Moore and two with current wife Emma Heming—and has stepped out of the spotlight to focus on his family.
Maria de Medeiros (Fabienne)
Maria de Medeiros played Butch’s sleepy French girlfriend Fabienne, the kind of character who talks about pancakes and potbellies instead of violence and guns. She’s still a major presence in European cinema, though most Americans may have lost track of her after Pulp Fiction.
Medeiros, who speaks six languages and hails from Portugal, has continued to appear in French, Spanish, and Italian films. She’s also taken her talents behind the camera, debuting as a director with April Captains at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival. She has two children with her husband, Agustí Camps, and balances her artistic pursuits between acting and directing.
Tim Roth (Ringo “Pumpkin”)
Tim Roth, who played the lovestruck diner robber Pumpkin, was one of Tarantino’s go-to guys after first collaborating on Reservoir Dogs. He was already an established British actor before Pulp Fiction, but it’s his deadpan “garçon, coffee!” that audiences have immortalized.
Since then, Roth has carved out a diverse filmography, starring in everything from the Michael Haneke psychological thriller Funny Games to blockbuster fare like The Incredible Hulk. He also worked with Tarantino again in The Hateful Eight and portrayed Emil Blonsky, a.k.a. Abomination, in the MCU’s She-Hulk series. Roth’s life has also seen its share of struggles—he and his wife Nikki Butler lost their youngest son Cormac to cancer in 2022.
Amanda Plummer (Yolanda “Honey Bunny”)
Amanda Plummer’s Yolanda—or “Honey Bunny,” as Ringo likes to call her—is half of the couple that turns the iconic diner into chaos at the beginning and end of Pulp Fiction. Plummer was already well-known for her eccentric roles, having made her mark in The Fisher King, and her portrayal of Honey Bunny showed just how far she could stretch as an actress.
Plummer continued to take on quirky and memorable roles, including one as Wiress in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and a role in Star Trek: Picard. She’s also worked in theater, winning three Emmys for her roles on television, and has become something of a cult favorite among sci-fi fans.
Harvey Keitel (Winston “The Wolf” Wolfe)
Harvey Keitel was the ultimate “fixer” as Winston Wolfe, the guy you call when you’ve accidentally shot Marvin in the face. Keitel’s collaboration with Tarantino dates back to Reservoir Dogs, and he was instrumental in getting that film made, using his connections to help finance and produce it.
Keitel hasn’t worked with Tarantino in a while—the two parted ways professionally after Inglourious Basterds—but he’s kept busy, acting in Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel and Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman. Keitel also took on a leadership role in Hollywood as co-president of the Actors Studio, an institution for method actors.
Christopher Walken (Captain Koons)
Christopher Walken’s role as Captain Koons was brief but unforgettable—after all, it involved an extended monologue about a gold watch kept in a very uncomfortable place. Walken’s particular brand of intensity has made him a standout actor for decades, whether it’s in Pulp Fiction or in his many other roles.
Since Pulp Fiction, Walken has continued to mix it up, starring in everything from Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow to comedies like Wedding Crashers. He’s also been on the small screen, with recent appearances in Severance and The Outlaws. Walken has never been one to stay in one lane, and fans wouldn’t want him any other way.
Ving Rhames (Marsellus Wallace)
As Marsellus Wallace, Ving Rhames added some serious gravitas to Pulp Fiction—and then promptly made audiences’ jaws drop with the now-infamous pawn shop scene. Rhames’ career took off after Pulp Fiction, and he’s been a consistent force in Hollywood ever since.
Rhames is probably best known as Luther Stickell in the Mission: Impossible franchise, where he’s been Tom Cruise’s loyal sidekick since 1996. He also voiced characters in films like Wendell & Wild and is the unmistakable voice behind Arby’s commercials—you know the ones, “We have the meats!”
Angela Jones (Esmarelda Villalobos)
Esmarelda Villalobos, the cab driver with a morbid curiosity about death, is a brief but intriguing character in Pulp Fiction. Angela Jones brought her to life and caught Tarantino’s attention after starring in the short film Curdled, which he went on to help produce as a feature.
After Pulp Fiction, Jones appeared in a few indie horror movies and took a break from acting for some time. She’s since made appearances at fan conventions and returned to film with small roles in projects like Chillerama.
Eric Stoltz (Lance)
Eric Stoltz’s character, Lance, plays a pivotal role in one of Pulp Fiction’s most famous scenes—Mia’s overdose and the adrenaline shot that saves her life. Stoltz was already known for roles like Mask and Some Kind of Wonderful before joining the Pulp Fiction ensemble.
These days, Stoltz has shifted to working behind the camera, primarily as a television director. He’s directed episodes of shows like Glee and Madam Secretary, and has also had acting stints on both. Stoltz married musician Bernadette Moley in 2005 and has since focused his career on directing and producing.
Phil LaMarr (Marvin)
Phil LaMarr’s role in Pulp Fiction may have been short-lived (literally—Marvin was the unfortunate recipient of Vincent’s gun going off), but it’s one of the film’s most memorable moments. LaMarr has since become a prolific voice actor, bringing to life characters like Samurai Jack and Hermes Conrad on Futurama.
In addition to his voice work, LaMarr was an original cast member of MADtv, where he showcased his comedy chops for over 100 episodes. He continues to be one of the busiest voice actors in Hollywood, proving that even minor roles can lead to major success.
