'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' Cast News: Quentin Tarantino Taps Brad Pitt to Join Leonardo DiCaprio
Quentin Tarantino enlists Brad Pitt to co-star with Leonardo DiCaprio for his upcoming film, now titled "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood."
This upcoming film will be the ninth for the iconic director and possibly his penultimate. He has recently announced a desire to retire from filmmaking after his 10th film. This will be his reunion with DiCaprio after working on "Django Unchained" in 2012 and with Pitt after doing "Inglourious Basterds" together in 2009.
As for the two superstar actors — Pitt and DiCaprio — this will be the first time they are working side-by-side on the same film.
"Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" is set in Los Angeles in 1969, at the height of "hippy Hollywood." DiCaprio will play Rick Dalton, a former star of a western TV series. Cliff Booth, played by Pitt, is Rick's longtime stunt double. Together, they struggle to make it in a Hollywood that they no longer recognize. The great thing about this is Rick has a famous next-door neighbor, Sharon Tate.
Tate will be played by "I, Tonya" star Margot Robbie. Tate, the late wife of director Roman Polanski, was murdered, along with six other victims at her home by crazy cult members of Charles Manson. It was earlier revealed that Manson would play a huge part in the film, but will not be the main focus.
In an official statement, Tarantino expressed how excited he is to finally get the ball rolling on the film. "I've been working on this script for five years, as well as living in Los Angeles County most of my life, including in 1969, when I was seven years old," he said. "I'm very excited to tell this story of an LA and a Hollywood that don't exist anymore. And I couldn't be happier about the dynamic teaming of DiCaprio & Pitt as Rick & Cliff."
"Once Upon a Time" premieres Aug. 9, 2019. This will mark the 50th anniversary of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca's murder by the Manson Family, and the day after Tate was killed.