India, Oct. 28 -- Quentin Tarantino has built a celebrated Hollywood career with films such as Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill and Django Unchained. Yet, despite his estimated $150 million fortune and two Academy Awards, the filmmaker has maintained an unusual personal promise: his mother will not receive money from his success. The reason dates back to an argument when he was 12, when his mother, Connie Zastoupil, allegedly mocked his ambition to become a writer.

The Childhood Remark That Shaped Quentin Tarantino's Decision

Speaking on The Moment podcast hosted by Brian Koppelman, Tarantino recalled that his mother had struggled with his academic performance. He said, "My mom always had a hard time about my scholastic non-ability," adding that...