It’s always tough to rewrite history, especially when many of the key players who took part in those events are still alive. It’s clear that Quentin Tarantino dramatically altered a lot of what really happened in his new movie Once Upon a Time In Hollywood and while some aren’t too pleased with the liberties he took, most critics and fans agree that it’s one of his all-time best projects.
One of the more surprising fans of the film is Dianne “Snake” Lake, who’s most known for being the youngest member of the infamous Manson Family. After joining the group at age 14 in 1967, she ended up being the key witness in the trial that sent Charles Manson and several of his followers to prison. In the movie, Lake is portrayed by Sydney Sweeney during a scene in which Brad Pitt’s character brings a hitchhiking follower back to the ranch where the cult resided.
Unlike in real life though, Sharon Tate isn’t murdered by the obsessive zealots. Instead, they get taken down by a fading actor and his stunt double before they get the chance to carry out their deed. Many people have praised this revisionist history, too, including Lake herself, who said:
“I thought the ending was very clever… You know, I loved those people. It’s hard. But they did commit these horrific, brutal… they committed mayhem. It was only fitting that the mayhem ended up on them.”
There are, however, other high-profile voices who don’t approve of Tarantino’s onscreen decision. One of them is Bruce Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, who had a problem with how her father was portrayed as an arrogant braggart. The filmmaker doubled down on his interpretation of the late star, which prompted her to tell him to “shut up” about her dad.
As their public feud continues, Tarantino should be happy to hear that someone associated with the actual events was happy with how he changed things. He’s likely crossing his fingers that the Academy will feel the same way when awards season rolls around.
Once Upon a Time In Hollywood is currently playing in theaters worldwide.