Why I love: The grindhouse king

Zoe Telford, actor

For me, there is a vitality in Quentin Tarantino's work that is second to none. I like the self-consciousness of his films – it's very playful.

A Tarantino character knows he or she is in a movie. They know, and they want you to know they know. He also has a breathtakingly soulful record collection and innate understanding of the impact of good music in cinema.

He is driven by a passionate love of world cinema but also has the artistry to create from it something as glorious as Pulp Fiction or Kill Bill.

Where he stands alone for me is his recent use of female actors. Tarantino's love of women and his determination to let them have their day feels very real to me. In his last three films the ladies not only get to be the leads, they get to be the heroes. I can't help but love him all the more for that.

Zoe Telford's latest film, The Waiting Room (15), is in cinemas now