"I'll Die As A Zionist": Quentin Tarantino's Unshakeable Life in Tel Aviv During The War

No Retreat: Tarantino During the War

Actress, model, and singer Daniella Pick, who married famed Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino in 2018, offered a candid look into their family life in an Israeli news interview. The couple, who reside in Tel Aviv with their two children, made it clear that leaving Israel during the war was never an option.

When asked if the director, known for classics like Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds, considered returning to Hollywood as bombs fell on Tel Aviv, Pick was definitive.

"Absolutely not. First of all, Quentin takes it the easiest way in the world," Pick shared. "Most of the time, he wouldn't even go down to the shelter if I didn't tell him, and … I have two small children in my arms, so he helps me … He isn't afraid."

She then shared a remarkable quote illustrating his commitment to Israel: "Once he said something funny to me: 'Well, whatever. Like if something happens, I'll die as a Zionist.' So I said, ‘Well, OK.'"

Pick reiterated that the decision was firm: "It was during the war that Tarantino said, 'We'll be here.' It was clear.” Despite past reports suggesting Tarantino might be working on a play in London, Pick confirmed there are no plans to uproot the family from their North Tel Aviv home. Tarantino himself has been quoted previously saying, "I love it [in Israel]. If I didn't love it, I wouldn't be there."

A Warm and Supportive Family Man

Pick painted a portrait of a domestic Tarantino, enjoying life as a hands-on father who is also learning Hebrew. He told reporters that he enjoys "Playing with my kids, walking around the neighborhood, or riding my bike around the neighborhood. Just going out with my good friends and having fun, drinking and smoking cigars, or having dinner with my good friends."

Pick praised his role as a husband and father: "And he's an amazing father, I have to say that. He's warm, family-oriented, huggable, funny, and playful, and he's also an amazing and supportive husband, and he always pushes me, and we get along really well."

The couple, who met in 2009 while Tarantino was promoting Inglourious Basterds, instantly connected and married seven years ago. Pick also revealed that the director, despite his global success, once thought a family wasn't in his future, making her especially happy that he was able to fulfill himself "in writing as well as a father and as a partner."

Home Life and Hollywood Debut

Pick offered a glimpse into their lavish home life, including their elaborate screening room, a must-have for the director famous for his love of cinema. The room features comfortable leather seats Pick sourced from the US, noting they are necessary because Tarantino "likes to express his appreciation loudly as he watches movies." The room even has a heavy door, with a Mezuzah, which Pick confessed was mostly a joke, as she doesn't believe her non-Jewish husband has noticed it.

Tarantino is an enthusiastic participant in their movie nights, stating, "We have very good movie nights with our friends."

Tarantino has strongly supported his wife's career. She had a cameo in his last film, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood, and he encouraged her to take her first major role in the new film, The Perfect Gamble, which just premiered in Hollywood. The director even helped her prepare, noting, "My most important piece of advice was to know the lines … I helped her learn her lines." Pick is also starring in another forthcoming film about the Lebanon pager operation.

Finally, Pick briefly touched on the painful loss of her father, Israeli pop icon Zvika Pick, stating the subject remains too difficult to discuss without crying, concluding: "For me, the most important thing is that his songs will always continue to be played.”