Director Tarantino's best movies have found success primarily because of those characters, and some of them have even been elevated to pop-culture icon levels. With so many iconic characters, however, it can be hard to pick just one as the best.

Tarantino has made a wide variety of films since he made his first short film, My Best Friend's Wedding, in 1987. That means he's also created a huge array of characters with different personalities, accomplishments, roles, and other details. The best Tarantino characters all have a few things in common, though. They all excel in at least one thing, whether it be their emotional stories, their importance to the film, or just plain old coolness. These 15 Quentin Tarantino characters all do something the best.

15 Major Marquis Warren

Played By: Samuel L. Jackson

One of the most compelling characters Quentin Tarantino has created, and the best character in The Hateful Eight, was Major Marquis Warren. Seeing Samuel L. Jackson as a bounty hunter in the Old West was interesting enough in its own right, but Warren also got a few chances to shine as a character. Warren basically plays the role of a classic detective in The Hateful Eight, and his powers of deduction make him incredibly interesting. He also has some fascinating quirks, like his Lincoln letter, and some great lines, like his threats, that made Warren an iconic Tarantino character.

14 Max Cherry

Played By: Robert Forster

Quentin Tarantino is known for his over-the-top style, his flashy set pieces, and his devastating violence. Just about the only things that are nuanced about his films are the dialogue, which is purposefully written to be as natural as possible, and one character: Max Cherry in Jackie Brown. Robert Forster's Max Cherry was straightforward, he was clear, and he didn't mince his words, which made him a unique entry to Tarantino's list of characters. Max also had incredible chemistry with Pam Grier's Jackie, which makes him one of Tarantino's best love interests to this day.

13 Cliff Booth

Played By: Brad Pitt

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood was quite a few things all at once, but Brad Pitt's Cliff Booth tied it all together irably. Cliff was a stunt double, fixer, personal assistant, and several other things, which let him connect all the various threads in the movie. From his run-in with the Manson family to his friendship with Rick Dalton, Cliff was great in all the situations he found himself in. He was also responsible for both of the fight sequences in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, and both his imagined fight against Bruce Lee and his real fight against the Mansons were delightful to watch.

12 Rick Dalton

Played By: Leonardo DiCaprio

While Cliff provided quite a bit of action and excitement in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio's Rick Dalton was still the film's best character. Dalton was the vehicle Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood used to deliver its main message and really sell the idea that the golden age of Hollywood was dying. He also had some great moments in the movie, from his scene in Lancer to his use of a flamethrower. Though he's not a typical Quentin Tarantino protagonist, he is among the best.

11 Mr. White

Played By: Harvey Keitel

Reservoir Dogs was an incredibly impressive debut film for Quentin Tarantino, and its success was thanks in large part to Harvey Keitel's performance as Mr. White. Reservoir Dogs was an almost entirely character-driven story - the diamond thieves spend most of their time in the same warehouse - so having strong personalities was very important. Even with as many iconic performances as the movie had, though, Mr. White managed to stand out. He's the most moral of a group of hardened criminals, his mercy keeps the entire film going to its tragic conclusion, and he essentially delivers the main message of Reservoir Dogs through his death alone.

10 Bill

Played By: David Carradine

The Kill Bill duology is a classic tale of revenge, but the main reason it feels so unique and special is because of its central antagonist: David Carradine's Bill. In Kill Bill, Tarantino made the brilliant move of hiding Bill's face entirely, which granted him a massive amount of mystique, especially after the church massacre. Kill Bill: Volume 2 then made Bill even more interesting by letting Carradine really shine in the role. Bill was fascinatingly manipulative, strangely charming, and incredibly complex. Kill Bill wouldn't have been the iconic duology it is today without Bill, which easily makes him one of Tarantino's best.

9 Calvin Candie

Played By: Leonardo DiCaprio

The only thing Quentin Tarantino likes more than a strong protagonist is a strong villain, and Calvin Candie is proof of that. Though he's only introduced in the second half of Django Unchained, Leonardo DiCaprio managed to make Candie one of the film's most memorable characters. From DiCaprio's hand injury in Django Unchained to Candie's blinding rage and abhorrent speech about phrenology, Calvin Candie is one of Tarantino's best antagonists. The Southern slaver is extremely easy to hate, which makes the righteousness of Django's quest all the better, and makes Candie an important part of the film.

8 Aldo "The Apache" Raine

Played By: Brad Pitt

Quentin Tarantino is known for writing colorful and slightly oddball characters, but there's something about Aldo Raine's quirks set against the backdrop of World War II that make him stand out. Brad Pitt's Aldo gave Inglourious Basterds some much-needed comedic relief through his thick southern accent, his harebrained scheme to speak Italian at the movie premiere, and more. Despite his humor, however, Aldo also had chances to be incredibly cool, like in his speeches to the Basterds and his opinions on Nazi uniforms. As the leader and commander of the Basterds, Aldo Raine made quite a name for himself.

7 Mia Wallace

Played By: Uma Thurman

Mia Wallace was a bit of a surprise standout in Pulp Fiction, given how many great characters there already are in the film. Though she's essentially a side project for Vincent Vega, Uma Thurman was able to make Mia an instant hit. She's unusual in an interesting way, she has some great dance moves, and she provided a great look into Vincent's character in a variety of scenarios. She was also responsible for one of Pulp Fiction's most nailbiting scenes when she accidentally snorted Vincent's heroin, so Mia was a very important and appreciated part of the movie.

6 Vincent Vega

Played By: John Travolta

Vincent Vega has some of the most screen time of any character in Pulp Fiction, and he made good use of it. From his near-constant need to use the bathroom to his hilarious mistakes like shooting Marvin in the face and letting Mia overdose, Vincent is one of the most memorable characters in the movie. John Travolta also did a great job at giving Vincent a lot of memorable and humorous qualities, from the chemistry he had with Mia to his conversations with Jules. There's a reason Pulp Fiction marked a career comeback for Travolta, and it's because Vincent was such a great character.