[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/uma_thurman_photo.jpg]]

->''"I still love the people I've loved, even if I cross the street to avoid them."''

Uma Karuna Thurman (born April 29, 1970 in UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}, Massachusetts) is an American actress and model.

She's best known for starring in ''Film/PulpFiction'', ''Film/KillBill'', ''Literature/DangerousLiaisons'', ''{{Film/Gattaca}}'', ''Film/TheTruthAboutCatsAndDogs'', and ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'', where she plays Venus. Yes, ''[[Myth/ClassicalMythology that]]'' [[TheBurlesqueOfVenus Venus]]. She also played [[Film/BatmanAndRobin Poison Ivy]] and [[Film/TheAvengers1998 Emma Peel]].

Known for being Creator/QuentinTarantino's (platonic) [[TheMuse muse]]. She's an ex-wife to Creator/GaryOldman and Creator/EthanHawke, and ex-partner to French financier Arpad Busson; she has two children with Hawke (both of whom, Creator/{{Maya|Hawke}} and Levon, are also actors) and one with Busson.

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!!Filmography:
[[folder:Film roles]]
* ''Film/JohnnyBeGood'' (1988) as Georgia Elkans
* ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'' (1988) as [[Art/TheBirthOfVenusBotticelli Venus]] / Rose
* ''Literature/DangerousLiaisons'' (1988) as Cécile de Volanges
* ''Film/HenryAndJune'' (1990) as June Miller
* ''Film/{{Robin Hood|1991}}'' (1991) as Maid Marian
* ''Film/PulpFiction'' (1994) as Mia Wallace
* ''Film/BeautifulGirls'' (1996) as Andera
* ''Film/DukeOfGroove'' (1996) as Maya
* ''Film/TheTruthAboutCatsAndDogs'' (1996) as Noelle Slusarsky
* ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'' (1997) as [[Characters/BatmanPoisonIvy Pamela Isley / Poison Ivy]]
* ''Film/{{Gattaca}}'' (1997) as Irene Cassini
* ''Film/{{The Avengers|1998}}'' (1998) as Dr. Emma Peel
* ''[[Film/LesMiserables1998 Les Misérables]]'' (1998) as Fantine
* ''Film/SweetAndLowdown'' (1999) as Blanche Williams
* ''Film/KillBill Vol. 1'' (2003) and ''Vol. 2'' (2004) as The Bride / Beatrix Kiddo
* ''Film/{{Paycheck}}'' (2003) as Rachel Porter
* ''Manga/NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind'' (2005) as Kushana (voice, English dub)
* ''Film/BeCool'' (2005) as Edie Athens
* ''Film/{{Prime|2005}}'' (2005) as Rafi Gardet
* ''Film/TheProducers'' (2005 musical version) as Ulla
* ''Film/MySuperExGirlfriend'' (2006) as Jenny Johnson / G-Girl
* ''Film/TheAccidentalHusband'' (2008) as Emma
* ''Film/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians: The Lightning Thief'' (2010) as Medusa
* ''Film/BelAmi'' (2012) as Madeleine Forestier
* ''Film/{{Nymphomaniac}}'' (2013) as Mrs. H
* ''Film/{{Movie 43}}'' (2013) as Fake Lois Lane
* ''Film/{{Burnt}}'' (2015) as Simone Forth
* ''Film/TheConIsOn'' (2018) as Harriet "Harry" Fox
* ''Film/DownADarkHall'' (2018) as Madame Duret
* ''Film/TheHouseThatJackBuilt'' (2018) as Lady 1
* ''Film/RedWhiteAndRoyalBlue'' (2023) as President Ellen Claremont
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Television roles]]
* ''Film/AMuppetsChristmasLettersToSanta'' (2008) as Joy
* ''Series/{{Smash}}'' (5 episodes, 2012) as Rebecca Duvall
* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' (1 episode, 2014) as Gwen Ling (voice)
* ''Series/TheSlap'' (3 episodes, 2015) as Anouk
* ''Series/{{Imposters}}'' (2017–18) as Lenny Cohen
* ''Series/SuperPumped'' (2022) as Arianna Huffington
[[/folder]]

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!!Thurman's work provides examples of:

* ActionGirl: A couple of her roles later on in her career are good examples.
* ActorInspiredElement: ''Film/KillBill'' opening with the shot of her beaten up and wearing a wedding dress was her idea.
* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: Well-known for averting this trope in a number of Tarantino films including ''Film/PulpFiction'' where she overdoses and its shown in all its gory horror with blood and spittle everywhere, and ''Film/KillBill'' where she's knocked senseless and drenched in blood by the end of the bigger set-pieces.
* CareerResurrection: ''Film/KillBill'' provided one for her after the flops described below.
* CelebritySong: Music/FallOutBoy has one named after her, where the chorus references her dancing scene in ''Film/PulpFiction''.
* CreatorBacklash: She doesn't have fond memories of ''Film/KillBill'', the film that ironically saved her acting career. During filming, Creator/QuentinTarantino pushed her to do a dangerous vehicle stunt herself [[NoStuntDouble rather than swapping in a stunt driver]]; sure enough, she ended up crashing and suffered permanent injuries to her knees and back, all of which were revealed in [[https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/03/opinion/sunday/this-is-why-uma-thurman-is-angry.html an op-ed]] for ''The New York Times''. Although she has forgiven Tarantino (who was regretful over what happened but caught in a place that could compromise his own career), she still has misgivings over the film.
* DeletedRole: She filmed scenes for ''{{Film/Savages}}'' but they were cut.
* DentedIron: She unfortunately suffered permanent injuries to her knees and spine doing a comparatively "simple" stunt on Film/KillBill. Tarantino has called his demand that she do all her own driving stunts "the biggest regret of my life" as a result.
* DyeingForYourArt: From the usual changing color of her hair, using her own voice for musical roles (uncommon for non-singing actresses), to the extremes such as doing full nude scenes, learning martial arts for months, and doing her own stunts.
* HostilityOnTheSet: She and Creator/DarylHannah did not get along while filming ''Kill Bill''. As well, she and Tarantino were not on good terms due to a car accident while filming, it took years to repair their relationship and wasn't fully resolved until he gave her footage of the accident in 2018.
* LargeHam: In ''Batman and Robin'' as Poison Ivy and ''Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief'' as Medusa.
* MethodActing: To prepare for Medusa in ''Percy Jackson'', she interacted with several live snakes. Reportedly it helped imagine how Medusa would feel having live snakes sprouting out of her head.
* MsFanservice: In ''Baron Munchausen'', ''Dangerous Liaisons'', ''Batman and Robin'' and ''The Avengers''.
* PlayingTheirOwnTwin: In ''Film/TheAvengers1998'' as [[spoiler: a clone of Emma Peel]].
* ProductionPosse: Creator/QuentinTarantino considers her his [[TheMuse muse]].
* RomanceOnTheSet: With Creator/EthanHawke, with whom she starred in ''{{Film/Gattaca}}''.
* StarDerailingRole: ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'' and ''Film/TheAvengers1998'' did serious damage to her career. It should be noted however that - despite being nominated for a Razzie Award as Poison Ivy - Uma's performance was in fact praised. Most reviews cited her as the only reason to see the movie in the first place.
* StarMakingRole: After ''Film/PulpFiction'', everyone knew who she was.
* StatuesqueStunner: At a solid 6' she can tower over most cast mates, especially in heels, as seen in ''Film/TheProducers'' where she easily has a full head over LoveInterest, Creator/MatthewBroderick.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** She was the early favorite for the Creator/MelanieGriffith role in Creator/BrianDePalma's ''Literature/TheBonfireOfTheVanities''. De Palma and his producers loved her audition but her prospective co-star, Creator/TomHanks, nixed the idea. One of her noted attributes at the time was she was easily as tall as Hanks while wearing flats.
** She was offered the role of Eowyn in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', but turned it down because she'd just had a baby; the role instead went to Creator/MirandaOtto. She later told Stephen Colbert she considered it one of the worst decisions she'd ever made.
** Among films she auditioned for - ''Film/PrettyWoman'', ''Film/ThePrincessBride'', ''{{Film/Enchanted}}'', ''Contact''. Films she turned down - ''Film/AlmostFamous'', ''Film/LaraCroftTombRaider'', ''Film/KnockedUp''.
** A film based on the Kay Thompson children's book ''[[Literature/{{Eloise}} Eloise in Paris]]'' was slated to be in the works with Thurman starring as Nanny and Creator/JordanaBeatty in the title role; however, next to nothing was done apart from appearances by Beatty at the Plaza Hotel and a few announcements, and Uma wasn't pleased with the abortive development to say the least, suing Creator/HandmadeFilms for "a film that never was".
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