Uma Thurman Thought She Was 'Getting Arrested' During First 'Brush With the Law' at Age 3

Uma Thurman recently recalled a memorable childhood adventure involving a pair of red high heels, a solo shopping trip and an unexpected ride in a police car.

During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the 56-year-old actress opened up about the incident, which happened when she was just 3 years old and left her convinced she was being arrested.

"My first brush with the law was we moved to a new town," Thurman recalled.

The incident unfolded shortly after her family relocated to Amherst, Mass., where her father worked as a teacher. Thurman explained to Jimmy Fallon how her fascination with a pair of shoes turned an innocent childhood outing into a frightening experience.

The Pulp Fiction star recalled spotting a pair of red high heels while driving through her new hometown with her family. Captivated by the shoes, Thurman couldn't get them out of her mind and decided to take matters into her own hands the following day while her mother was taking a nap.

The young actress-to-be grabbed 75 cents from a table at home, made her way to the store and tried on the heels. She even assured the shopkeeper that her mother would stop by later before handing over the money.

"I agreed that they fit. It was all very nice. And then I handed him 75 cents," Thurman recalled.

The Gattaca star thought her plan was going smoothly until the shopkeeper began to grow suspicious.

"And the man was like… ‘Hmm, I don’t think this little girl’s mother is coming,'" she revealed.

Thurman explained that the shopkeeper eventually called the police, who questioned her about where she lived. However, because her family had only recently moved to town, the young Thurman couldn't remember her street name. She insisted she knew how to walk home, but the officers had other plans.

Instead, the police offered to drive her home, leaving the Batman & Robin star terrified.

"I’ve never been so scared in my entire life," Thurman recalled.

"I really thought I was getting arrested, and I sort of was," she added.

The officers then placed her in the back of a police car, where one of them held her on his lap during the ride.

Although the officer was friendly, Thurman admitted that the experience was "terrifying" for her at such a young age.

The officers drove around the neighborhood, trying to locate Thurman's home. However, because she was still unfamiliar with the area, the star couldn't recognize her house.

The mystery was finally solved when her mother appeared in the street, frantically searching for her missing daughter.

Thurman described her mother as a "long-haired, beautiful hippie, Miss Clavel," wearing a muumuu and sporting hip-length hair.

Upon spotting her mother, the officers reportedly said, "That's her," finally bringing Thurman's frightening childhood adventure to an end.

Reflecting on the childhood adventure, Thurman suggested that her determination to get the shoes was an early sign of her independent spirit.

"From a young age… I just get ideas," she told Fallon.

The Hollywood legend also explained that her fascination with the red heels went beyond simply wanting a new pair of shoes. As a young girl, she associated them with Dorothy's magical ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, which famously helped the character find her way home.