Sam Mendes’ wife Alison Balsom says director took her to Quentin Tarantino film on first date

Classical musician called the film ‘violent’ but described the director as ‘unique’

Classical trumpeter Alison Balsom OBE has opened up about her first date with husband and Skyfall director Sir Sam Mendes, who she says took her to a Quentin Tarantino film to woo her.

The 46-year-old, has been married to Mendes since 2017, and is an accomplished musician who began playing her instrument when she was just seven. She eventually graduated from Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

As this week’s guest on The Independent’s Like This Love This podcast, Balsom opened up about the books, movies, TV shows and podcasts that have left an impression on her.

She told Lucie McInerney about her first date with Mendes, who took her to a premiere of director Tarantino’s film The Hateful Eight in 2015.

“Sam and I did go on our first date, to of all things, The Hateful Eight premiere. I remember Tarantino coming on stage and saying: ‘You’re going to feel really cold during this and it’s not that we’ve turned the air conditioning up, it’s just great filmmaking,’” she explained.

Couple have been married since 2017 (Tristan Fewings/Getty Images)

“Actually, that was not true, he had really cranked up the air conditioning and it was freezing. [The film] was maybe a few minutes too long, but that might have just been my opinion because I was on my first date with Sam.”

She thought the film was “very violent” but called Tarantino “unique”. The Western thriller stars Samuel L Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Kurt Russell.

This year, Balsom, who has previously won Young Artist of the Year and Female Artist of the year at the Classical BRIT Awards, is playing at the Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall for the second time.

Mendes is an Oscar-winning director, earning the accolade for his 1999 film American Beauty. He is also renowned for his theatre direction in addition to his moviemaking, reimagining plays including Cabaret (1993) and Gypsy (2003).