Quentin Tarantino Joins Jamie Adams’ Improvised Drama After Six-Day Shoot in Deauville
Jamie Adams has quietly assembled a high-profile ensemble for Only What We Carry, an improvisation-led drama filmed in the seaside town of Deauville. The project, notable for its brisk six-day shoot, includes Simon Pegg, Sofia Boutella, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lizzy McAlpine and Quentin Tarantino in a rare on-camera turn.
Tarantino’s unexpected acting return
The film marks a notable acting moment for Quentin Tarantino, who steps in front of the camera in a substantial role opposite Pegg and Boutella. He is credited as John Percy and is also described in the film’s synopsis as a publisher living at a chateau who disrupts the fragile equilibrium between characters. Director Adams persuaded Tarantino to join after sharing an outline and a personal letter; Adams said he sensed Tarantino was in a reflective moment after shelving a previous project and that the director’s enthusiasm came as a surprise.
Adams spoke warmly of the experience, calling Tarantino “an exceptional actor” — curious, collaborative and deeply versed in cinema history. One moment from their first remote meeting stuck with Adams: he logged on nursing what he called the worst toothache of his life, only to be captivated when Tarantino’s voice came through. “It’s like Disneyland for filmmakers, ” Adams said, describing the thrill of hearing the director speak about the material.
Improvisation, a short schedule and a summer-camp atmosphere
Only What We Carry continues Adams’ long-running interest in improvisation and character-driven storytelling, a method that has previously drawn actors such as James McAvoy and Martin Freeman to his projects. The shoot embraced a loose, Nouvelle Vague-inspired approach, leaning on actor instincts rather than a traditional script to shape scenes and emotional beats.
Filming took place entirely in Deauville, where the end-of-summer calm allowed the town to feel almost like a studio backlot. Adams described the set as feeling like “summer camp”: compact, collaborative and largely ego-free. The production moved quickly—just six days of principal photography—which required trust among cast and crew and pushed improvisation into a necessity rather than an artistic affectation.
Despite the accelerated timeline, Adams said the atmosphere fostered creativity rather than chaos. The small, focused schedule encouraged actors to make bold choices in the moment and allowed the film to reveal itself organically as scenes unfolded.
Cast dynamics and what to expect
Simon Pegg stars as Julian Johns, a once-formidable artistic director whose secluded life is upended when former dancer Charlotte Levant, played by Sofia Boutella, returns seeking answers. Charlotte Gainsbourg plays her protective sister, while Lizzy McAlpine makes her feature debut as a young dancer. Liam Hellmann rounds out the ensemble as a restless artist caught between love and loyalty.
The narrative centers on memory, artistic legacy and the emotional costs that follow lives lived for the stage. Adams has framed the story as a lighter-toned exploration of reassessing artists and their mythologies as time passes—an idea that resonated with him personally as a father and as someone who has revisited the legacies of complicated cultural figures.
International representation for the film is in place, with world sales set to launch at the European Film Market. The project is now in post-production, with the director deep in editing and hinting at future ambitions to convince other renowned filmmakers to take on acting roles in his work.
Only What We Carry promises an intimate, actor-focused piece shaped by improvisation and steeped in cinema history — and it arrives with the extra curiosity of a major director stepping back into performance for a short but notable appearance.
