Uma Thurman Reveals One Hollywood Wish She Never Got

Uma Thurman is looking back on a prime desire she never saw come to reality.

The iconic actress spent time recollecting her days in the industry, noting decisions that helped shape her career over the years. While building a top industry status, she focused on raising her three children and trying to build a family with her previous partners.

Uma Thurman raves about how proud she is of her kids and their achievements. Her older two, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Ethan Hawke, have walked in their mom’s footsteps, making a name in Hollywood.

Uma Thurman Never Got The Chance To Live In Hollywood

Thurman keeps fans up to speed with the happenings in her life, both personal and professional, as she chatted in a recent interview. She shared how life was very different for her growing up and the phases she went through before and after her big break in the industry. 

Her star role in “Kill Bill” in 2003 propelled her career as an actor to greater heights, winning her nine individual awards amid several nominations. The actress’s achievements came without the conventional move to Los Angeles, and although she wished she had planted solid roots in the city, she ultimately chose family.

The stakes were high as she had successfully built an A-list career and become an action star without possibly having a deeper connection to the industry. She told InStyle during the cover interview, “I actually always wished I had moved to Los Angeles.” She stayed in New York instead, shuffled back and forth to L.A. for work, and perhaps relatedly never felt fully at home in Hollywood.

Why Thurman’s Wish Never Came True

The star revealed that with her rise to fame, she nearly moved fully to California, but a personal change stopped her in her tracks. In her words, “I even got an apartment there at one point because I was working there really frequently, and as soon as I signed the lease, I got pregnant with my daughter within, like, six weeks.” 

Ultimately, she had to choose between Hollywood and family, and she chose the latter. Her decision, although practical, came at a cost that still nags at her as she had to pay out months of rent. The other downside was the effect that not residing in L.A. had on her career. “I never did time in Los Angeles, and because of that, I kind of never integrated into the community of my own profession, and I think that’s too bad,” the A-list actress said.

She spent those years building connections and a community with other moms at pickup on 16th Street and Rutherford Place rather than in Hollywood circles. Even though she stressed that she does not regret her decision as happiness was more important, Thurman said, “I wish I’d had that chapter. I think I really would have liked it.”

The ‘Kill Bill’ Star Has Built A Bloodline Of Stars

Thurman’s success extends to the children and family she gave up her wishes for. She married Ethan Hawke in 1998, whom she met the previous year while on set for “Gattaca.” The pair welcomed two children, Maya and Levon, while they were together before finalizing their divorce in 2005. The star previously told PEOPLE:

“I’m madly in love with all of my children and very proud of them. I think they conduct themselves with a lot of dignity and respect for others. It’s all a parent could dream of.”

Maya has followed her mother’s footsteps, building a career in Hollywood after landing her breakout role as Robin Buckley in the third season of the hit series “Stranger Things.” In addition to these, she is a singer-songwriter too. Before pursuing acting, Maya started off as a teen model, where she worked with a number of brands such as AllSaints and Calvin Klein.

The 27-year-old collaborated with designers such as Zac Posen and has also appeared in various fashion publications such as Vogue. Levon also has an interest in fashion, like his sister, and has pursued a career in acting, too. His on-screen debut was for a role in “Blackout,” which aired in 2018. He was also an extra in season four of “Stranger Things.”

The Award-Winning Actress Had Reservations About Maya Joining The Industry

Like every other parent, Thurman had fears about her children’s future. Seeing her daughter had chosen the Hollywood path, she expressed that she had some reservations about the life of fame. The “Kill Bill” star noted the fact that industry stars thriving amid the complicated career are always in the public eye. 

“She’s a sensitive person. Any protective parent would be anxious for their child to go into the public arena, not because they want to be in the public arena, but because they’re so creative. You just wish they’d find any other way to be creative,” she said of Maya.

As shared by The Blast, the “Pulp Fiction” star also advised her daughter on the gender bias in the entertainment world and how women’s looks are often judged. “Because this industry is so much tougher on women, my mom had reservations about me not becoming an actor, but becoming a public figure,” Maya recalled in a previous interview.

Uma Thurman Starred With Her Daughter In 2023

A 2023 comedy crime thriller brought the mother-daughter together on screens. “The Kill Room” starred Thurman as an art gallery owner, Patrice Capullo, working with a hit man and his boss to organize a money-laundering scheme. Maya’s character, Grace, is a fixture in the New York art world who is intensely curious about the true identity of the hitman.

This project marked the first for the mother-daughter duo. However, The Blast reported that there are prospects of future collaborations. Filmmaker and author Quentin Tarantino previously explained that for a future “Kill Bill: Vol. 3,” Maya could be cast as Thurman’s daughter if the plot goes decades into the future.

Maya has also worked with her father in “The Good Lord” in 2020. Recalling the experience in an interview, the star shared that working with Ethan was an unforgettable experience.

Is it too late for Uma Thurman to fulfill her wish?