Haji Profile | Star Profiles

Haji Profile

Welcome to the Haji Profile — a deep dive into the life and legacy of the enigmatic cult star who redefined badass femininity in Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!.

🖤 HAJI: The Exotic Queen of Cult Cinema

There are actresses who follow the rules. And then there’s Haji — a mystic, a seductress, a screen rebel who didn’t just break the mold, she burned it down while laughing in a language you weren’t quite sure existed.

If you’re a man who still remembers the scent of old drive-ins and the feel of leatherette seats under the stars, chances are you’ve crossed paths with her unforgettable stare in Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! — Russ Meyer’s 1965 wild ride through the desert of sex, speed, and switchblades.

Welcome back to the desert, gentlemen. Let’s talk about Haji.

📇 The Basics

  • Full Name: Barbarella Catton
  • Stage Name: Haji
  • Born: January 24, 1946 – Quebec, Canada
  • Died: August 10, 2013 – Oxnard, California
  • Height: 5’5″ (165 cm)
  • Heritage: French Canadian and Filipino
  • Look: Long jet-black hair, dark almond eyes, and an hourglass figure that made her a goddess in the eyes of B-movie fans worldwide.

She wasn’t the bombshell next door — she was the woman you met at midnight who read your palm and then stole your car.

🎬 Career & Life

Born Barbarella Catton began exotic dancing around the age of 14–15, before catching the eye of legendary sexploitation filmmaker Russ Meyer. Unlike Meyer’s more explosive muse Tura Satana, Haji brought a mysterious, almost spiritual presence to the screen. Where Satana was fire, Haji was smoke — hypnotic, slow-burning, dangerous in a different way.

Her big break came as Rosie, the quiet killer in Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! — a film now revered as one of the most influential cult classics of all time. She would go on to appear in several of Meyer’s films, always playing the part of the seductress with depth and soul.

Off-screen, Haji was a walking contradiction: a spiritualist who talked about past lives and ghostly visions, yet also fiercely grounded in her independence. She didn’t chase stardom. She chased experience.

🎥 Selected Filmography

Her roles were often small-budget, big-attitude — packed with the kind of raw sexuality and oddball charisma that modern actresses try to fake with stylists and PR teams.

🧿 The Woman Behind the Eyes

Haji was fascinated by the occult, astrology, and what she called “other realities.” She often claimed to have psychic visions and said she’d lived previous lives — one of which as an Egyptian priestess. Whether you believed her or not, you couldn’t deny her presence.

She wasn’t interested in playing the Hollywood game. She lived modestly, surrounded by art and mysticism. She read tarot. She meditated. She painted. She believed in karma. She never apologized for being exactly who she was.

💬 Quotes

“I don’t act. I channel.” – Haji

“Russ gave me freedom. He let me be wild.”

“I didn’t want to be famous. I wanted to be felt.”

“She could stop a man in his tracks with a glance and make him question the direction of his life,” said Russ Meyer in one of his rare sentimental moments.

🏁 Legacy

Haji never played by the rules — and that’s exactly why she’s remembered. In an age where most women were expected to be demure and polished, she was raw, unapologetic, and otherworldly. She helped shape the cult film landscape with her blend of exotic beauty, spiritual depth, and quiet danger.

Today, her name lives on in fan circles, vintage film fests, and midnight screenings where men (and women) still fall under her spell.

So pour a whiskey, light a cigar, and put on Faster, Pussycat! one more time. Rosie’s waiting.

🔗 Learn More About Haji in Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! »

Dive deeper into Haji’s unforgettable role as Rosie in Russ Meyer’s cult classic. Behind-the-scenes stories, character analysis, rare photos, and more.

👉 Read the full feature on Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! and Haji’s iconic performance

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📚 Sources & Further Reading

To ensure accuracy and celebrate Haji’s life and legacy, the following sources were referenced:

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