Chili Palmer is a fictional character from Elmore Leonard's novel Get Shorty, the movie adaptation of the same name and the film sequel, Be Cool. Chili is played in the films by John Travolta.
Get Shorty
Chili is introduced as a shylock from Miami. He is sent to Las Vegas to collect a bad debt. While on this journey, he runs into Harry Zimm (in the film, played by Gene Hackman), a low-budget Hollywood producer of horror films, and Karen Flores (Rene Russo), a film actress who often appears in Harry's films, Bo Catlett (Delroy Lindo), Harry's drug-dealing financier, and Martin "Shorty" Weir (Danny DeVito), an egomanical movie star. While trying to get the $300,000 debt, Chili also helps out Harry with a new movie, which is entitled, Get Leo.
Be Cool
Ten years after becoming a film producer, Chili gets tired of being a filmmaker and is thinking that he might go back being a shylock because they're "honest of being dishonest." His friend, Tommy Athens (James Woods), a music producer, wants his own life in the music business to be made into a film. Tommy introduces Chili to an aspiring singer named Linda Moon (Christine Milian). However, he gets killed by a Russian mafia boss named Roman Bulkin (Alex Kubik). That night, Chili meets Linda and decides to grab the opportunity to help her to become a big star. However, Linda's current manager, Raji (Vince Vaughn), and his gay bodyguard, Elliot (The Rock), an aspiring actor who wants to be in films, won't let her go. Meanwhile, Chili finds out that Tommy owes hip-hop mogul Sin LaSalle (Cedric the Entertainer) $300,000. At the end, Sin kills Roman, and Nick Carr (Harvey Keitel), Raji's business partner, gets arrested for the murder of Joe Loop (Robert Pastorelli), who was actually killed by Raji. Elliot goes on to a successful acting career.
