Set to feature in Quentin Tarantino’s latest movie Once Upon A Time In Hollywood will be Margot Robbie playing the actress and model Sharon Tate.
The movie is set to follow Rick Dalton, the fading former star of a Western TV series (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). The two embark on a quest to make names of themselves in Hollywood.
The film takes place in Los Angeles during the period of time surrounding the 1969 ‘Manson Family’ murders. The ‘Manson Family’ were followers of the cult leader Charles Manson, under his command they brutally murdered five people including the pregnant wife of Roman Polanski, Sharon Tate.
Today Margot Robbie revealed the first picture of her as Sharon Tate.
At last year’s Cinemacon Leonardo Dicaprio revealed his thoughts on the upcoming project:
“It’s one of the most amazing screenplays he’s [Quentin Tarantino’s] ever written… I’m very excited to work on the film.”
There has however, been much controversy surrounding Tarantino and the film. Uma Thurman recently revealed disturbing behaviour by the director on the set of Kill Bill in which Thurman starred.
According to Vogue “Thurman’s story, which revolves around a terrifying car crash on the set of Kill Bill, implicates the auteur as an exploitative, aggressive force on set, and it widens the net of Hollywood luminaries who enabled Weinstein’s predatory behaviour, and who fostered an environment in which actresses felt vulnerable and without the ability to voice discomfort or objections to their treatment in the industry.”
Read Thurman’s full interview with the New York Times on Harvey Weinstein and working with Quentin Tarantino here.
Further controversy ensued when Rotten Tomatoes made a Twitter post featuring the members of the cast side-by-side, it became obvious that the majority of cast members were white males. Comments and outrage over the lack of diversity quickly followed.
The incredible cast of Quentin Tarantino's 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood' pic.twitter.com/TKgSeusMEi
— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) June 19, 2018
I'm not complaining about the lack of diversity because unlike in other instances here it actually makes sense based on the plot and when it's set. But in a general sense I'm just tired and annoyed of this being the standard template for Hollywood representation
— trying out this elon musk locked account thing (@RyxnGeorge) June 23, 2018
Charles Manson’s motivating principle was a movement that he called “Helter Skelter.” The original intent behind the murders was that they would jump-start a “race war.” Manson manipulated the members of his cult through their shared racism, having previously tattooed a swastika on his forehead.
The name “Helter Skelter” was taken from a Beatles song by the same name, the song was from an album commonly known as “The White Album.” It was this title that convinced Manson that the band had hinted at a secret prophecy in which all black Americans would be killed.
While some have argued that Tarantino’s white cast is the result of the ‘historically accurate’ representation of the period in which the film is set, 1960s Hollywood, not including any black characters is blatantly ignoring a massive element of this story. Manson’s belief in white supremacy was the primary motivator and warped logic behind the murders.
In court he told America, “I am only what you made me. I am only a reflection of you.” While Manson was clearly a psychotic and deranged human being, he did represent a deep seated hatred for black Americans that was reflected throughout Hollywood. To continue only representing white characters with white perspectives shows the industry taking a regressive step back.
It will be interesting to see whether or not Tarantino addresses this but it looks like we’ll have to wait until 2019 to find out.
