The day the Austrian actor and Tarantino met must have been a historic one. I’d normally say “their lives would never be the same,” but we all know Quentin’s life was already pretty awesome at that point. Waltz, however, wasn’t doing so hot — he was aware of his unappreciated talent, but he just couldn’t find the right role.
One day, he found himself auditioning for the role of Hans Landa in a movie called Inglourious Basterds. Tarantino had been searching for the right man to play the seemingly unplayable character, a charming SS detective with a hidden agenda. Both Tarantino and Waltz realized they’d found what they were looking for ten minutes into the audition.
After winning an Oscar for his terrific performance as Landa, Waltz received countless job offers. He’s since worked with several renowned directors, such Roman Polanski and Michel Gondry. He’s also starring in the Terry Gilliam’s upcoming feature The Zero Theorem, which I’m really excited about. The thing you need to understand about Waltz is… he’s just a damn fine actor. If you don’t believe me, just watch the brief clip below and you’ll understand why.
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