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July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Screen & Stage • Film

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a 2019 American film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a 2019 American film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, set in 1969 Los Angeles. It follows fading actor Rick Dalton and his stunt double Cliff Booth as they navigate a changing industry and cross paths with real figures like Sharon Tate and the Manson Family.

What it is

The film blends fictional characters with historical events, centering on Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a television Western star struggling to stay relevant, and his friend Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Their story intersects with Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and the Manson Family, building toward a fictionalized alternate ending that rewrites the real 1969 Tate murders.

Key details

Released July 26, 2019, the film runs 161 minutes and stars DiCaprio, Pitt, and Robbie. Brad Pitt won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Cliff Booth. The cast also includes Al Pacino, Emile Hirsch, Margaret Qualley, Timothy Olyphant, and Dakota Fanning.

Why it matters

The film is a notable example of revisionist history in cinema, using an alternate ending to change a tragic real event. It received broad critical attention and multiple award nominations, including major Academy Award recognition. In Canada, it was a major theatrical release in 2019 with wide international coverage.

In short

  • Set in 1969 Los Angeles, following a fading actor and his stunt double.
  • Blends fictional characters with real figures like Sharon Tate and the Manson Family.
  • Ending rewrites history with an alternate climax to the Tate murders.
  • Brad Pitt won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Canadian angle

The film was released theatrically in Canada in 2019 and is also relevant to Canadian readers as a major English-language Hollywood production that received broad international attention, including at Canadian cinemas and award coverage.

Quick questions

What is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood about?
It follows fading actor Rick Dalton and his stunt double Cliff Booth in 1969 Los Angeles as they try to stay relevant in a changing Hollywood, while the story intersects with Sharon Tate and the Manson Family.
Is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood based on a true story?
It is partly based on real people, places, and events from 1969 Hollywood, but it is not a true-story drama. The film mixes fictional characters with historical figures and invents major story events.
Who plays Rick Dalton?
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Rick Dalton.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Once_Upon_a_Time_in_Hollywood
    Supports: Basic plot setup, setting, and character names.
  2. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7131622/
    Supports: Cast list, plot summary, runtime, and release information.
  3. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/once_upon_a_time_in_hollywood
    Supports: Synopsis, cast, genre, and release date.
  4. Empire — https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/movie-plots-explained-once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood/
    Supports: Plot explanation, historical context, and the film's alternate-history ending.