‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’: Quentin Tarantino Finds His Charles Manson in Australian Actor Damon Herriman

The search for Quentin Tarantino‘s Charles Manson is over. The Wrap confirms the director has cast Australian actor Damon Herriman as the infamous serial killer in his ninth feature, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” The casting news arrives as Tarantino is already well into production on the 1969-set movie, which is shaping up to be his penultimate effort if he sticks to his plan to retire after ten movies.

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a television actor trying to break into the film industry alongside his friends and stuntman, played by Brad Pitt. The characters live next door to Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski, played by Margot Robbie and Rafal Zawierucha. Tate and four others were murdered by members of the Manson Family cult on August 9, 1969.

Herriman is best known in the U.S. for playing Dewey Crowe on five seasons of the FX series “Justified.” The actor got his start in the early 1980s on Australian television series such as “The Sullivans” and “Taurus Rising.” His most recent roles include a supporting turn in Jane Campion’s limited series “Top of the Lake: China Girl” and on the short-lived Syfy series “Incorporated.”

Joining Herriman as new additions to the “Hollywood” cast are Rumor Willis, Dreama Walker, Madisen Beaty, Costa Ronin, and “The Leftovers” breakout Margaret Qualley. Willis is set to star as British actress Joanna Pettet, while Walker will play singer Connie Stevens and “The Americans” actress Ronin (“The Americans”) will tackle Polish actor Voytek Frykowski, who was one of the victims of the Manson Family murders.

Sony will release “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” in theaters July 26, 2019.