Movies

Hollywood Legend Al Pacino Joins Tarantino's 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood'

once upon a time in hollywood cast al pacino
By Chris Evangelista/

Quentin Tarantino just added another surprising name to his ever-expanding Once Upon a Time in Hollywood cast: Al Pacino. Pacino will play the agent of Leonardo DiCaprio's washed-up Western TV star.

Maybe we should just start a list of who isn't going to be in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, because it seems that the filmmaker adds a new name every day. Variety reports the one and only Al Pacino is the latest addition. Pacino will play Marvin Shwarz, agent to Leonardo DiCaprio's character Rick Dalton, a washed-up Western TV star struggling to stay relevant in Hollywood.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is set in Los Angeles in the summer of 1969, and has been described as a Pulp Fiction-like film with several interconnected narratives. In the backdrop of all of this lurks the shadow of Charles Manson and his Family. "It takes place during the 1969 Hollywood era at the height of the counterculture explosion, at the time of the hippie revolution," Tarantino said. "During the summer, little by little, block by block, we'll be transforming Los Angeles in the psychedelic Hollywood of 1969."

Pacino is a legend, and the prospect of seeing him in a Tarantino film is sure to appeal to a lot of people. Pacino has stuck to low-profile indie work and HBO movies in recent years, but he seems to be joining more and more high-profile gigs lately. In addition to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, he's also playing Jimmy Hoffa in Martin Scorsese's highly-anticipated The Irishman, which also stars Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci.

I have no idea how big Pacino's role will be in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, but I can't wait to find out. This cast continues to impress, and I can only wonder which familiar face Tarantino will add next.

Let's take a look at this cast, shall we?

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Cast

  • Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton, a washed-up Western TV star struggling to stay relevant in Hollywood.
  • Brad Pitt as Cliff Booth, Rick's longtime friend and stunt-double.
  • Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate, the actress who was murdered by members of Charles Manson's cult. She also just happens to be Rick's next door neighbor in the film.
  • Burt Reynolds as George Spahn, the man who rented his ranch out to Manson. (Learn more about Spahn here.)
  • Kurt Russell, Tim Roth, and Michael Madsen, all in currently undisclosed supporting roles.
  • Timothy Olyphant (maybe), in an undisclosed role.
  • Damian Lewis as actor Steve McQueen.
  • Dakota Fanning as Manson Family disciple Squeaky Fromme, who later tried to assassinate President Gerald Ford.
  • Nicholas Hammond as actor and director Sam Wanamaker.
  • Emile Hirsch as Manson Family victim Jay Sebring.
  • Luke Perry as Scotty Lancer, who may or may not be based on a television actor of the same name.
  • Clifton Collins Jr. as a character named  Ernesto The Mexican Vaquero.
  • Keith Jefferson as Land Pirate Keith.

    • How many more actors will Tarantino add? Who knows! We do know from past reports that director Roman Polanski is a character in the film, so that's one part he has to cast. Entertainment reporter Jeff Sneider claimed on Twitter that Tarantino also wanted to cast someone as legendary actor Bruce Lee. And then there's Charles Manson, the boogeyman of this entire movie.

    Once Upon A Time In Hollywood opens on August 9, 2019.

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