Julia Garner Fangirls Quentin Tarantino Back Stage at Jimmy Kimmel Live

Game recognize game, and even GOATs are prone to starstruck excitement when encountering other GOATs. Such was the case when best actress of her generation Julia Garner encountered every film student’s favorite director Quentin Tarantino backstage while shooting an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Garner stopped by Kimmel (guest hosted by comedian Dana Carvey) on July 18th to discuss her recent double Emmy nominations for portraying the criminally amazing Ruth Langmore on Ozark and the criminally annoying Anne Delvey on Inventing Anna, both streaming on Netflix.

While there, she skillfully bounced back and forth between both Emmy-nominated characters, delivering one character’s lines as the other character. But her other role for the evening, that of major Tarantino stan, was not televised.

Garner ran into Tarantino backstage, with the auteur on the Kimmel set to discuss The Video Archives Podcast, a new project the director co-created along with his old writing partner Roger Avary. And Garner apparently knew she’d be sharing a green room with the wildly influential director because she planned ahead for their meeting.

According to the Ozark star’s Instagram, she is such a huge fan that she sought out an original Reservoir Dogsmovie poster to purchase ahead of time so as to nail down the acclaimed director’s autograph. As per her Insta:

“I was SO excited that I honestly felt like a kid…This was a huge pinch me moment.” Apparently, even Emmy winners with multiple nominations in the same category aren’t immune to fangirl moments, especially when a GOAT like Tarantino is involved.

Garner recently made headlines for being the frontrunner to portray the Material Girl herself in the Madonna-helmed Madonna biopic. After enduring a grueling dance bootcamp, Garner beat out Florence Pugh, Alexa Demie, Sydney Sweeney, Odessa Young, Bebe Rexha, and Sky Ferreira to win Madge’s personal thumbs up.

If she chooses to accept it, it’s a role that will require a level of grit and tenacity on par with that of Madonna herself, similar qualities required of a Tarantino leading lady. Perhaps this backstage meeting could morph into a professional relationship? If Garner’s Ruth Langmore is any indication, she’s got everything it takes to kill bill and then some.