Anna Daniels
It may have taken 25 years for Quentin Tarantino to unmask one of the most unsettling and memorable characters in his career-defining, Palme d’Or-winning release, but it took almost as long for people to recognize who played the fleeting, but legendary role. For Pulp Fiction‘s 20th anniversary in 2014, Vulture sat down with the man behind the bondage mask, Steve Hibbert, and found that his role in bringing the character to life had gone mainly uncredited. When asked whether many people knew he had played the Gimp, Hibbert responded, “No, they don’t.”
“I never made a big deal of it,” he said. “I wish I had, but I’ve never figured out a way to monetize it or make it a thing. I’ve never sent out Christmas cards with the Gimp or anything.”
Despite most audiences outside of the film’s hardcore fans having little idea about who was behind the character, Tarantino told Empire that one of his favorite memories is who among the Hollywood circle did recognize Hibbert. “I heard a funny thing from Jon Lovitz, who knew Stephen Hibbert,” Tarantino said. “Jon watches Pulp Fiction for the first time and is like, ‘What the f*** is this?’ And he stays in the theatre as the credit crawl is going on and sees Stephen’s name. He said out loud, ‘WHAT? I know the Gimp?!'”
While not everyone may remember Hibbert, it’s a role he says he’ll never forget. “Whatever else I’ve done before or will do in show business, I don’t think I’ll ever have a cooler credit than that,” Hibbert told Vulture. “I love the fact that I did that. And I also kind of love the fact that there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Written by: Looper
