Tarantino and Kylie Minogue film in Porthcawl — Jamie Adams has pulled off a homecoming that few filmmakers could imagine. The Welsh director brought Quentin Tarantino, Kylie Minogue and RZA to Porthcawl for his latest movie, Tangled Up in Blue, and the town is still buzzing about it. The arrival of the stars earlier this year gave Adams what he called an out-of-body experience, and the stories have since become part of local pub folklore.
For Adams, the project was deeply personal. He shot scenes in places that shaped him, including the Ship and Castle, a pub his father once ran. The bar there is a boat his father brought from Weymouth, where Adams was born. In one memorable moment, Tarantino shared a pint with Adams in that pub while chatting with Neil, a friend Adams has known since childhood. Adams described the scene as surreal and beautiful.
A story built around a stranded manager
Tangled Up in Blue centres on a talent manager played by Tarantino. The character has spent four decades managing legends and finds himself stuck at a hotel bar, caught between an old flame and a lost soul. The film came together after Adams shot a movie in France last year in his usual improv style, working quickly and letting much of the material emerge on set rather than from a finished script.
Tarantino enjoyed that approach, Adams said, comparing it to the French New Wave cinema of the late 1950s and 1960s. Adams then told him he wanted to make something more personal and shoot it in his hometown. Tarantino, who had never been to Wales, was keen to come.
Minogue's Welsh roots made the trip easy
Bringing Minogue on board was even simpler. She has described herself as half Welsh, and her family has strong ties to the area. Her mother, Carol Jones, and her Welsh-speaking grandmother Millie Jones emigrated from Maesteg, in Bridgend county, to Australia in the 1950s. Minogue told Adams she rarely had the chance to visit, so she seized the opportunity to take part.
Adams likened the experience to a small football team making a cup run, saying the project brought people together. He noted that locals still stop him to talk about their favourite Tarantino film or Minogue record. For now, he said, the whole experience feels like a beautiful haze at the heart of the film.
A Cardiff and Porthcawl shoot
Most of the filming took place in Cardiff and Porthcawl, a choice Adams felt was right for such a personal movie. He also enjoyed showing audiences what his cast can do beyond their familiar roles. Tarantino is best known as a director, while Minogue became a global pop star after leaving the Australian soap Neighbours in the late 1980s. Adams said his improvisational method gave them freedom over their characters that might not exist on other productions.
There is no release date yet, but Adams is aiming for summer 2027. He hopes Cardiff can host a premiere with the cast in attendance. Above all, he said, he remains grateful for the chance to work with them and to bring a spirit of joy to south Wales.
