‘Once Upon A Time In Hollywood’: Meet The Cast Of Characters

Quentin Tarantino returns to the screen with “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” his ninth feature film and his first based mostly in reality. The film tells the story of an actor and his stuntman as they struggle to adapt to the multitude of changes in the movie business in 1969 as the Golden Age begins to crumble. All the while, a sinister real-life cult lurks in the background, ready to end the age of free love and change society forever.

As with any Tarantino release, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” features an ensemble cast of larger-than-life characters in a world brimming with color and violence. Here’s a rundown of who’s who:

Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio): Based loosely on Burt Reynolds, Dalton is a former TV Western actor struggling to adapt to a burgeoning new era of filmmaking. He lives next door to actress Sharon Tate.

Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt): Dalton’s longtime stuntman and Vietnam veteran, Booth is the surly, grounded counterpart to his more high-strung colleague. He is based on Reynolds former stuntman and “Smokey and the Bandit” director, Hal Needham.

Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie): A rising actress from the late 60s and the star of such films as “Valley of the Dolls” and “The Wrecking Crew.” Tate was among the victims of the Manson Family murders on Aug. 9, 1969, while pregnant with the child of her husband, Roman Polanski.

Charles Manson (Damon Herriman): One of the most notorious cult leaders in American history, he led the Manson Family, a commune based out of Spahn Ranch in Chatsworth, California, that orchestrated the grisly murders of Tate and several of her close friends. He was sentenced to life in prison in 1971 and died in 2017. In an odd coincidence, Aussie actor Herriman will also play Manson in “Mindhunters” Season 2.

Jay Sebring (Emile Hirsch): One of the Family’s victims, Sebring was a former lover and hairstylist for Tate.

Marvin Schwarz(Al Pacino): A Hollywood agent who Dalton hopes can save his career.

George Spahn (Bruce Dern): Owner of Spahn Ranch, the home of the Manson Family and occasional Western film set. Spahn was to be played by Reynolds prior to his death in 2018.

Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme (Dakota Fanning): A primary member of the Manson Family who once attempted to assassinate President Gerald Ford.

“Pussycat” (Margaret Qualley): Based on the real-life Family member Kathryn “Kitty” Lutesinger, Pussycat befriends Booth and brings him to Spahn Ranch to meet “Charlie.”

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is now playing in theaters nationwide.