Why Kurt Russell Channeled John Wayne For A Beloved Cult Classic

, cracking wise and getting the girl but never doing much in the way of fighting. He’s an all-American hero archetype despite this, and apparently, it’s at least partially because Russell was channeling Western movie legend John Wayne.

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Kurt Russell Played John Wayne Playing Jack Burton

a criticism of his inflated ego.

, having starred in quite a few excellent ones himself and even begun his career on TV Westerns. His riff on John Wayne is pretty perfect, and it wouldn’t be the last time he did it.

Russell Brought Back The Drawl In A Tarantino Classic

In “Death Proof,” Russell plays another over-confident man, Stuntman Mike, who uses his “death proof” stunt car to torment and kill young women. However, it’s eventually revealed that he’s not as tough as he pretends to be when his potential victims turn the tables on him, which makes Mike kind of the perfect role for Russell to channel Wayne again. When he’s stalking his first round of victims in the movie, Mike even informs Arlene (Vanessa Ferlito) that she’s “okay in his book” and explains his deeper meaning with a heavy drawl that’s reminiscent of the Western actor.

as Jack Burton’s shirt is hanging on the wall in the very bar where Stuntman Mike chows down on nachos and picks out his next victims. Whether or not Russell did this as an intentional ode to Jack Burton is anyone’s best guess, but it’s still pretty great, giving ole John Wayne another footnote in his complicated legacy.

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