‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ Adds Rumer Willis, Margaret Qualley and Damon Herriman (Exclusive)
Herriman to play supporting role of Charles Manson in Quentin Tarantino’s 1960s-set drama
Umberto Gonzalez | August 28, 2018 @ 4:45 PM
Last Updated: August 29, 2018 @ 10:45 AM
Getty Images/Wikimedia Commons
Quentin Tarantino is filling out the cast of his 1969-set “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” with rising stars Rumer Willis, Dreama Walker, Margaret Qualley, Costa Ronin, Damon Herriman, Victoria Pedretti and Madisen Beaty, TheWrap has learned.
Herriman, an Australian actor best known to American audiences for a recurring role on “Justified,” has been cast as Charles Manson — the notorious cult leader whose self-styled “family” committed multiple murders in the year when the movie takes place.
In addition, “Empire” star Rumer Willis plays British actress Joanna Pettet; Walker plays actress and singer Connie Stevens and Ronin (“The Americans”) portrays Polish actor Voytek Frykowski, who was one of the victims of the Manson Family’s murder spree at Roman Polanski’s home on Cielo Drive.
Qualley plays a character named Kitty Kat, Beaty portrays Katie and Pedretti is Lulu.
Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” visits 1969 Los Angeles, where onetime TV star Rick Dalton (DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), make their way in an industry they hardly recognize anymore.
The ninth film from the writer-director features a large ensemble cast and multiple storylines in a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age.
The film is written and directed by Tarantino, who also produced along with David Heyman and Shannon McIntosh.
Sony has slated the film to be released on July 26, 2019.
Rumer Willis is represented by APA, Untitled and her lawyer Bianca J. Levin at Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown.
Margaret Qualley is represented by UTA, Management 360, and attorney Harris Hartman. Her credits include “The Leftovers,” “Nice Guys,” and “Novitiate.”
Ronin is a Russian-born actor and cinematographer who most recently starred in the hit drama series “The Americans” on FX for 5 seasons. He can also be seen starring on “Homeland” as Yevgeny Gromov. He will next be seen in the Warner Brothers feature film “Honey In the Head,” alongside Nick Nolte and Matt Dillon. Ronin is repped by Framework Entertainment, Paradigm, and Schreck Rose Depello Adams.
Dreama Walker is represented by Gersh.
Damon Herriman is represented by manager Spencer Robinson at Art/Work Entertainment. His American agent is Carlos Carreras at APA, and his Australian agent is Lisa Mann at LMCM.
He will soon be seen in Jennifer Ken’s “The Nightingale,” which premieres next week at The Venice Film Festival. He also stars opposite Mia Wasikowska in the upcoming feature “Judy and Punch.”
Madisen Beaty’s credits include working with Paul Thomas Anderson and Joaquin Phoenix in “The Master” and with Molly Shannon and Jesse Plemmons in the Chris Kelly directed Sundance darling “Other People.”
Beaty is represented by UTA, Industry and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.
Tarantino's 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood': How the Stars Compare to Real-Life Characters (Photos)
Quentin Taratino's upcoming "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" is set on 1969 around the time of the notorious 1969 Manson Family murders -- and features a mix of both real-life and fictional characters.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, for instance, play a (fictitious) washed-up Western actor and his stunt double who are neighbors of actress (and true-life murder victim) Sharon Tate. Here's how the cast -- as we know it so far -- matches up with their real-life counterparts.
Margot Robbie ("I, Tonya") plays actress Sharon Tate, who was eight and a half months pregnant when she was murdered by the Charles Manson Family. (Her husband, director Roman Polanski, was in Europe shooting a movie at the time.)
Australian actor Damon Herriman ("Justified") will play the notorious Charles Manson.
Bruce Dern plays George Spahn, the aged California rancher who was persuaded to allow the Manson Family to live on his property. (Dern stepped in after the September 2018 death of Burt Reynolds, who was originally cast in the role.)
Dakota Fanning ("The Alienist") portrays Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, a Charles Manson disciple who later attempted to assassinate President Gerald Ford.
Damian Lewis ("Billions") as actor Steve McQueen.
Emile Hirsch ("Into the Wild") plays celebrity hair stylist and Manson Family murder victim Jay Sebring (né Thomas Kummer).
Polish actor Rafal Zawierucha ("Warsaw 44") will play the young Roman Polanski, who was filming a movie in Europe when his pregnant wife, Sharon Tate was killed.
"Empire" and "Inhumans" actor Mike Moh plays kung-fu master Bruce Lee, whom Roman Polanski briefly suspected in the 1969 murder of his wife, Sharon Tate.
Austin Butler ("The Carrie Diaries," "The Shanarra Chronicles") plays Charles "Tex" Watson, a central member of Manson's Family who committed multiple murders and was later convicted on seven counts of first-degree murder
Lena Dunham ("Girls") portrays Catherine "Gypsy" Share, a follower of Manson who did not participate in the Sharon Tate murders.
Rumer Willis ("Empire") plays Joanna Pettet, a British actress who appeared in movies like "The Group" -- and who also lunched with Sharon Tate hours the day of her murder.
Nicholas Hammond, who played Friedrich in "The Sound of Music," plays actor-director Sam Wanamaker (whose connection to the Manson case is unclear).
Popular 1960s actress and singer Connie Stevens will be played by "Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23" alum Dreama Walker.
Voytek Frykowski (a.k.a. Wojciech Frykowski), the Polish actor who was killed along with others in Roman Polanski's home on L.A.'s Cielo Drive, will be played by Russian-born actor Costa Ronin ("The Americans").
Abigail Folger, a Manson Family victim who was heiress to the Folger coffee fortune and girlfriend of Frykowski, will be played by "The Love Witch" actress Samantha Robinson.
"The Leftovers" star Margaret Qualley plays Kitty Kat, based on Manson Family member Kathryn "Kitty" Lutesinger, the girlfriend of convicted murderer Bobby Beausoleil.
Madisen Beaty ("The Fosters," "Aquarius") appears as Katie, the nickname for Manson Family member Patricia Krenwinkel, who was convicted of murder for her role in the slaying of Sharon Tate and four others on Cielo Drive.
Newcomer Victoria Pedretti plays Lulu, the nickname for Manson Family member and convicted murderer Leslie Van Houten -- who was 19 at the time of the slayings.
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Many stars in Tarantino’s 2019 movie play actual people in 1969 Los Angeles, from Steve McQueen to Sharon Tate
Quentin Taratino's upcoming "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" is set on 1969 around the time of the notorious 1969 Manson Family murders -- and features a mix of both real-life and fictional characters.