Rumors are flying that Quentin Tarantino’s final movie will be called “The Movie Critic,” and that it’s about Pauline Kael in the late-70’s, possibly about her experience going from movie critic to Paramount studio consultant (for a few months). None of this is confirmed, but if Quentin’s final movie really is about Pauline Kael (and it’s entirely possible given his love for her), then it’s already time to bring on the lists of actresses who could potentially play her in a role that will be about as coveted as it gets.
First off, this is actually a pretty specific role to cast. Tarantino is well-known for excellent casting, and he’ll want an actress that’s 1. Close to the right age (which would be about 60), 2. Possibly someone who at least looks close to Kael (like his lookalike casting of Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”), and 3. Possibly an actress that’s Jewish or at least has some background similarities to Kael (given people are increasingly vocal about non-Jewish actors playing iconic Jewish parts). With that criteria in mind, here is my hastily thrown together list…
1. Jamie Lee Curtis…It’s true I probably wouldn’t have immediately thought of her had she not just won an Oscar for severely downplaying her legendary looks. But her de-glammed character in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” could be a good template for playing Kael, Curtis is almost exactly the right age, “Everything” proved she’ll take risks for unique directors, and Tarantino is a longtime fan, even writing a spec script for a “Halloween” sequel decades ago.
2. Jennifer Jason Leigh…Quentin gravitates towards either career-resurrection of his favorite actors (John Travolta, Pam Grier, David Carradine, Kurt Russell) or working with people he’s worked with before. Jennifer is the only actress on this list that Tarantino has worked with before (on “The Hateful Eight,” for which she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress), and she loved the experience. She’s the perfect age, Leigh is also from California (as Kael was), and Tarantino might want to work with someone familiar for his final film, given that he won’t want too many variables as he secures his filmmaking legacy, and tries for one last shot at winning a Best Director Oscar.
3. Debra Winger…As mentioned earlier, Quentin likes to give actors huge comebacks, and may feel Debra Winger is due. Winger is about the right age, Jewish, and at least looks in the ballpark of Pauline Kael. It would be a “career comeback” that would even top Brendan Fraser’s for “The Whale.” [I personally thought Winger was excellent in 2017’s “The Lovers,” and absolutely still has “it” if given the right part.]
4. Julia Louis Dreyfuss…This one might be my personal favorite. Dreyfuss is mostly known for comedies and television, but her excellent work in 2013’s “Enough Said” shows she can do great film work too. She’s the perfect age, and may be the closest to Kael’s actual personality. Plus, Tarantino supposedly offered her the plot of Mia Wallace in “Pulp Fiction” but she was forced to turn it down because of her commitment to “Seinfeld.” Could this be their chance to find out how well they would’ve clicked?
5. Pamela Adlon…Mostly known for TV roles, Pamela can play comedy and drama in the same scene (which Tarantino values given his distinct dialogue that often transitions from hilarious to terrifying). She’s about the right age, and probably looks the closest to Kael.
6. Meryl Streep…Quentin has said Streep is at the top of his “want to work with” list, but that was all the way back in 2012, and he’s since made comments that he may prefer Jessica Lange’s gonzo-performance(s) in “American Horror Story” to the more Oscar-bait stuff Streep gravitates towards. Still, this is a director who takes his passions and preferences seriously, and if Streep really is at the top of his list, then surely the role of Pauline Kael would be perfect.
7. Margo Martindale…She’s one of the best actresses most people don’t know the name of, and I’m including her mostly because this would be the role that finally changes that. Plus, I know she can handle Quentin’s dialogue, and Tarantino has probably seen at least some of her work since he’s a fan of “Justified.”
Runner-Up: Lena Dunham…She’s 20 years too young, but would be absolutely perfect for this role if Quentin isn’t sticking to a strict timeline or doing a traditional biography.
A couple you probably won’t see included are Cate Blanchett and Rachel Weisz. I considered Blanchett because she’s only a few years younger than the right age, and could definitely morph convincingly into Kael–but Quentin doesn’t appear to be much of a fan, and this is a director that puts a high value on an actor’s previous work. Basically, he’ll move mountains to cast someone if he liked them in an obscure 70’s film, but doesn’t usually cast actors whose previous work he’s not passionate about. Similarly, he doesn’t appear to like the obnoxious Hollywood trend of shoving Aussie/UK actors into iconic American parts they’re wildly wrong for, and even if Weisz would be considered by most casting directors (she’s a semi-bankable Jewish actress over 50), Tarantino rarely casts non-American actors in American parts. That’s possibly because his distinctive dialogue would sound particularly wrong coming out with a muffled, forced accent.
P.S.–Who would play Warren Beatty? If this really is about Kael’s brief tenure at Paramount Pictures, then Warren Beatty would surely be included since he lobbied hard for her to take the job (based off Kael’s advocacy for “Bonnie and Clyde”). So who would play him? None other than Chris Pine, who Quentin has described as his favorite young actor, and is about the same age as Beatty was in the late-70’s. …And if a young Jack Nicholson is featured–for any reason–then please let it be played previous QT collaborator Walton Goggins.