Since her breakthrough role in the 1994 cult classic Pulp Fiction, Uma Thurman has been a screen icon. Born in Massachusetts, she got her start as a teenager when she was discovered in a school play. She quickly rose to fame with early roles in Dangerous Liaisons and Robin Hood. Her performance in Pulp Fiction catapulted her to international stardom, leading to further success in movies like Gattaca, Les Miserables, The Avengers, Kill Bill, Prime, and The Producers.
Beyond the silver screen, Thurman has also appeared on stage, starring in the 2017 Broadway production of The Parisian Woman. She ventured into television with her role in Apple TV+’s series Suspicion. Outside of her career, Thurman is a mother of three, including Maya Hawke, who has followed in her footsteps to become a successful actor.
Thurman’s life, both professionally and personally, has been filled with highs and lows. From her bohemian beginnings in Boston to the heights of Hollywood fame, here’s a look at Uma Thurman‘s fascinating journey.
#1. Uma Thurman’s Bohemian Beginnings
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Uma Thurman was born on April 29, 1970. Her father, Robert Thurman, is a renowned scholar of Buddhism, which had a significant influence on their household. “I remember the family as appropriately bohemian and free-spirited,” one of his students told Vogue. “We used to call her father ‘Guru Bob.'”
Despite their bohemian lifestyle, education was highly valued in the Thurman household. “One is the product of one’s childhood,” Uma once said. “I was given the right education. And I also got to see the world and become familiar with great books from a very young age — you know, everything from Pippi Longstocking to Dickens.”
As a child, Thurman was known for her independence and tomboyish nature. In fact, her mother once shared a story about three-year-old Uma taking money from her purse and heading out to go shopping on her own.
#2. Early Acting Beginnings
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Growing up, Thurman faced bullying due to her appearance and height. “When I was 10, someone told me I had an ugly smile,” she recalled, leading her to feel self-conscious about smiling. According to Empire, this teasing contributed to her developing body dysmorphia.
However, her self-consciousness vanished on stage. Thurman discovered her passion for acting in eighth grade when she performed as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. By the age of 15, she had played a leading role in The Crucible, a performance that caught the attention of two acting agents. By 16, Thurman had moved to New York to pursue an acting career.
#3. Early Success and Shying Away from Stardom
In the late 1980s, Thurman appeared in several notable films, including Kiss Daddy Goodnight, Johnny Be Good, and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. However, it was her role as Cecile in Dangerous Liaisons that garnered significant attention. Her brief topless scene in the film turned her into a sex symbol at just 18. “I was shocked,” she said about the attention. “I thought my young career as an actress was moving along at a sort of slow and graceful pace.”
Instead of capitalizing on her newfound fame, Thurman opted to take a step back from the limelight. “I didn’t go and turn that into a star vehicle, studio-commercial film,” she explained, choosing instead to focus on roles that resonated with her.
#4. A Brief Marriage to Gary Oldman
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Following her rise in Dangerous Liaisons, Thurman married fellow actor Gary Oldman in 1990. They met while she was a teenager, reportedly introduced by Sean Penn, and began dating during the filming of State of Grace. However, their marriage lasted less than two years, ending in 1992. We met when I was 18,” Thurman told Vanity Fair. “It was a crazy love affair that ended, as it needed to.” She later referred to their marriage as a “teenage wedding,” suggesting it wasn’t a lasting commitment.
#5. Becoming a Cult Film Icon with Pulp Fiction
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1994 brought Thurman her most iconic role to date: Mia Wallace in Quentin Tarantino‘s Pulp Fiction. Her portrayal of the mysterious femme fatale, coupled with the unforgettable dance scene with John Travolta, solidified her status as a cult film icon.
Initially, Thurman was hesitant to take the role. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be in the movie,” she admitted, concerned about some of the film’s scenes. However, her performance earned her an Oscar nomination and set the stage for future high-profile roles. Thurman refers to the lasting appeal of the film as the “power from Pulp.”
#6. A Celebrity It-Couple with Ethan Hawke
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In the late ’90s, Thurman became as famous for her personal life as for her films, particularly her high-profile marriage to actor Ethan Hawke. The couple met on the set of Gattaca in 1997, married in 1998, and had two children together. By 2003, their marriage had ended amid rumors of infidelity.
Hawke later reflected on their relationship in Elle, admitting that marrying young and amid such success was challenging. “The world felt out of control,” he said. Thurman, for her part, described the breakup as “excruciating.” Co-parenting proved difficult initially due to unresolved issues between them.
#7. Embracing Motherhood
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Thurman has three children: Levon and Maya with Ethan Hawke, and Luna with financier Arpad Busson. Motherhood changed her perspective, as she told People, acknowledging the shift in priorities that comes with having kids. Thurman reduced her workload to spend more time with her children but later embraced returning to work. “When the children were little, I wasn’t able to work like I did before,” she told Stylist. “So now, when I do work, it’s very much like, ‘This is good, this is my time.'”
#8. A Career-Defining Role in Kill Bill
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Thurman reunited with Quentin Tarantino for the Kill Bill films, playing the vengeful Bride. Tarantino wrote the role with Thurman in mind, and the pair collaborated on developing the character. The two-part series was a critical and commercial success, marking another high point in Thurman’s career. “It was a lot of work,” she said, “but I feel really gratified by that.”
#9. A Slowdown in the 2000s
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Despite her success, Thurman’s career slowed in the 2000s. While she continued to work, starring in films like The Producers and Nymphomaniac, her projects were fewer and often less successful. Personal challenges, including a custody battle with Busson, may have contributed to the lull in her career. She also appeared in several box office flops, impacting her career trajectory.
#10. A Return to the Stage
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As her film career slowed, Thurman transitioned to theater. She made her Broadway debut in 2017 in The Parisian Woman, a new experience that she found challenging and exhilarating. The success led her to seek out more stage roles, including a part in Ghosts in 2018. Thurman was eager to continue acting on stage, saying she didn’t want to let years go by before returning to theater again.
#11. Speaking Out in the #MeToo Movement
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In 2017, Thurman joined the #MeToo movement, opening up about her experiences with sexual harassment and assault in Hollywood. She revealed that she had been abused by Harvey Weinstein and shared her traumatic experience on the set of Kill Bill, where she was pressured to drive an unsafe car, leading to an accident. Thurman’s decision to speak out highlighted the systemic issues within the industry and her courage in addressing them.
#12. Family Time During the Pandemic
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The COVID-19 pandemic gave Thurman a chance to reconnect with her family. She spent lockdown with her daughter Maya Hawke and son Levon, enjoying quality time together. As Maya moved back in during the pandemic, Thurman shared moments like giving her daughter a haircut on Instagram, writing, “Home hair cuts bring us back home. We are all finding our selves again.”
#13. Taking a Stand Against the Texas Abortion Ban
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In 2021, Thurman voiced her opposition to the Texas abortion ban through a personal essay in The Washington Post. She revealed her own experience with abortion as a teenager, emphasizing the importance of reproductive rights and supporting those affected by the restrictive law. Her daughter Maya Hawke also publicly supported her stance, recognizing the impact it had on their lives.
#14. Thriving in New Roles
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In 2022, Thurman made a successful transition to television with her role in the Apple TV+ series Suspicion. She found the shift from film to TV an exciting change, enjoying the opportunity to explore different forms of storytelling. Despite mixed reviews for the show, Thurman’s performance was praised, proving that her talent remains as strong as
