At this point, it feels like Quentin Tarantino has cast most of Hollywood in his ninth film, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, but one key vacancy has remained open until now. That would be the role of Charles Manson, who is not centric to the film — which will weave a Pulp Fiction-esque tapestry leading up to the Manson family’s murderous 1969 spree — but who will nonetheless be an undeniably important presence. And Tarantino has found one hell of an actor to fill the cult ringleader’s shoes. Following scattered reports to this effect, Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that Australian actor Damon Herriman has nabbed the role.
Fans of Justified will instantly recognize Herriman as the FX series’ most lovable f*ck up, Dewey Crowe, who uttered one-liners like “You mean I had four kidneys?” with aplomb. He’s followed up with several roles since saying goodbye to Crowe, but playing a genuine madman like Manson (whose “family” members were were convicted of multiple 1st-degree murder counts after killing Sharon Tate and six others) will pose a challenge that any actor would relish.
Entertainment Weekly also confirms more about Lena Dunham’s newly confirmed presence in the cast. The Girls star will play Catherine “Gypsy” Share, a member of the Manson cult, and even more actors — Rumer Willis, Dreama Walker, Margaret Qualley, Costa Ronin, Victoria Pedretti, and Madisen Beaty — have been added to the roster. This would be in addition to the already known major players, which include Margot Robbie (as Sharon Tate), Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Al Pacino, and many more.
Herriman’s arrival could also make for a glorious mini-Justified reunion, given that Timothy Olyphant recently signed on for an unspecified but major role in the film. And now there’s even more reason for a Walton Goggins appearance, if Tarantino can make it happen. No excuses, QT!
(Via Entertainment Weekly)
