Mia Wallace
| Mia Wallace | |
|---|---|
| Pulp Fiction character | |
 | |
| First appearance | Pulp Fiction (1994) |
| Created by | Quentin Tarantino Roger Avary |
| Portrayed by | Uma Thurman |
| In-universe information | |
| Alias | Mrs. Wallace |
| Occupation | Mafia boss (with her husband) Actress (formerly) |
| Spouse | Marsellus Wallace |
| Nationality | American |
Mia Wallace is a fictional character portrayed by Uma Thurman in the 1994 Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction. Thurman's performance as Wallace earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The character is considered by both fans and professionals as one of the most iconic female film roles of all time.[1][2][3]
Casting
Miramax, the film studio, wanted a famous actress for the role of Mia. At the beginning, Miramax favored Holly Hunter and Meg Ryan for the part. Tarantino considered Julia Roberts for the part, but she required too high a salary. Tarantino also wanted Meg Tilly, Kim Basinger or Alfre Woodard.[4] When Tarantino met Uma Thurman, he hired her for the role. This character was the protagonist of the film's promotional material, appearing on a bed with cigarette in hand.
Fictional biography
In "Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace's Wife"
Mia is the wife of crime boss Marsellus Wallace. Before meeting Marsellus, Mia was an aspiring actress who appeared in a television pilot called Fox Force Five, which failed.
Marsellus goes out of town and asks Vincent Vega, one of his assassins, to take Mia out to dinner while he's gone. Vincent agrees, although he is worried about how it will look; when asked about taking her out, he repeatedly insists that "it's not a date". His friend and fellow hit man Jules Winnfield warns him not to forget his place, and tells him a story about Antwan "Tony Rocky Horror" Rockamora, one of Marcellus' men whom Marcellus threw out of a four-story window, supposedly because he gave Mia a foot massage.
When Vincent goes to pick Mia up at Marcellus's lavish house, she speaks to him over the intercom as she snorts cocaine in a separate room. The two then head to dinner at Jack Rabbit Slim's, a 1950s-themed restaurant. During dinner, Mia and Vincent talk about subjects such as awkward silences, 50s pop culture, and some gossip related to Vincent's mob. When Vincent brings up what happened to Rockamora, Mia says that "The only thing Tony ever touched of mine was my hand when he shook it on my wedding day". Suddenly, the restaurant's DJ announces a twist contest, and Mia wants to win the trophy for first place. Though Vincent is reluctant, he gets up and dances the twist with Mia to Chuck Berry's "You Never Can Tell".
When Mia and Vincent return to the house to celebrate, Vincent goes to the bathroom while Mia dances to some music. While Vincent contemplates what to do next in the bathroom, Mia finds a small bag of heroin inside Vincent's coat pocket, and snorts it, thinking that it's cocaine. When Vincent returns from the bathroom he finds Mia overdosing on the couch, and frantically drives her to the house of his heroin dealer Lance, in an effort to save her. Lance gets a needle full of adrenaline, and has Vincent administer it directly into Mia's heart, which instantly wakes her up and saves her life.
The two return to the Wallace house after the overdose. Embarrassed, Mia asks Vincent not to tell Marsellus about what happened, as it would surely mean big trouble for both of them.
In "The Gold Watch"
When the boxer Butch Coolidge double-crosses Marcellus by winning a rigged fight, Marcellus sends Vincent to kill him. Vincent sees Mia sitting with Marsellus, and Mia thanks him for dinner the day before.
Reception
Thurman was nominated for the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance.[5] Film critics praised her take on the role, and Mia Wallace has since become an iconic character in popular culture.
References
- ^ Mia Wallace iconic fashion accessed 1-4-2016
- ^ 50 Greatest Female Characters #19 accessed 1-4-2016
- ^ Mia Wallace iconic looks Elle accessed 1-4-2016
- ^ Biskind (2004), p. 170.
- ^ "The 67th Academy Awards (1995) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 2013-08-30.
External links
- Mia Wallace on IMDb