Quentin Tarantino Has Found His Charles Manson for ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’
Quentin Tarantino‘s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has spent the past few months adding to its ever-growing cast list and now finally the role of Charles Manson has been cast. The film, set against the backdrop of the Manson Family murders, has generated a lot of speculation regarding who could play the part of the infamous cult leader. As of yesterday, The Wrap reports that Damon Herriman (Justified, 100 Bloody Acres) is set to take the role.
Sony, who recently acquired the film, describe it as a story that takes place in 1969 Hollywood, during the height of the hippie movement. The two leads are former western TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double friend Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) as they struggle to break into film acting. With Sharon Tate (Margo Robbie) being Rick’s next door neighbour, we know that the Manson murders will play a prominent part, but to what extent still isn’t clear.
Many have tried to capture Manson on screen in the past, with Steve Railsback, Jeremy Davies, Marcelo Games, Evan Peters and Ryan Kiser playing him across television and film. Herriman certainly looks the part, and anyone who’s seen him in Justified knows that he’s capable of a villainous role.
As a Tarantino film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will have his famous Pulp Fiction-style interconnecting web of narratives, linking our protagonists with the colourful characters dotted around LA in the year of ’69.
The film boasts a massive, start-studded cast. As well as Herriman, Pitt, DiCaprio and Robbie, the cast will include Al Pacino, Burt Reynolds, Tim Roth, Kurt Russell, Michael Madsen, Timothy Olyphant, Damian Lewis, Luke Perry, Emile Hirsch, Dakota Fanning, Scoot McNairy, James Marsden, Clifton Collins Jr, Mike Moh, Keith Jefferson, Nicholas Hammond, Spencer Garrett, Martin Kove, James Remar, Brenda Vaccaro, Nichole Galicia, Rafal Zawierucha, Lorenza Izzo, Lena Dunham, Austin Butler, Maya Hawke, Craig Stark, Marco Rodriguez, Ramon Franco and Raul Cardona.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will hit cinemas worldwide July 26th 2019.