Quentin Tarantino called Cliff Booth a “paperback hero.” During his AFI Fest Q&A, Tarantino explained why he wanted to revisit Brad Pitt’s character from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. “I love the Cliff Booth character. I love the way that Brad played him.” Tarantino imagined Cliff starring in an entire series of adventures and misadventures, much like the heroes of old paperback novels. What surprised me most was the depth of mythology Tarantino has created around his characters. He understands their world so completely that it almost feels like he’s lived in it himself. It’s fascinating how much life these characters have beyond what we actually see on screen. Here’s the clip from the Q&A I attended.