“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”: The Unsung Hero Behind the Casting

Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is an exemplary film, not only when it comes to direction, screenplay, and stardust but also when it comes to creating phenomenal casting choices.

There is a lot of talk about stars like Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, yet a huge chunk of the film’s triumph goes to casting director Victoria Thomas. Her astute instinct for talent, plus the wherewithal to bring the right people together for the perfect ensemble cast, are qualities that should be acknowledged alongside the more visible contributions of its stars.

Victoria Thomas: The Casting Genius

Victoria Thomas has a long spiel of accolades in casting, with a history of bringing some truly memorable ensembles together on screen in recent years. That she does so on “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is but one more example of her expertise, intuition, and earned reputation.

The way Thomas appropriates just the right type of actor for each role shows in the seamless way the characters settle into Tarantino’s vision of 1969 Los Angeles. Her choices helped bring to life an authentic, vibrant energy to the film.

The Cast of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

It involves a mix of heavy hitters from Hollywood and lesser-known talents, each with something unique to offer. Eventually, casting proves to be a key part in the reception of the film and even its overall success.

The role-playing TSR introduced Brad Pitt to Cliff Booth and Leonardo DiCaprio to Rick Dalton. Of course, Thomas — brilliant to a fault at casting — paired the two megastars for the first time on any appreciable screen time.

However, the supporting cast with Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch as Jay Sebring, and Margaret Qualley as Pussycat made the film that much more enriched. Each was cast perfectly in their role to add to the depth and nuance of the immersion and impact of the story.

These various cameos and minor roles, by such actors as Al Pacino, Bruce Dern, and Dakota Fanning, brought depth and more realism.

The Effect of Good Casting

Effective casting is one of the most prominent elements behind cinematic success, and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is definitely a prime example of that. Thomas’s work helped make the characters come across precisely in the way Tarantino wanted them to, which played a big part in the critical and commercial success of the latter.

The aptly chosen actors really brought the characters to life. While the story is easy for the audience to connect with. Which is important in a film where real historical figures mix with fictional ones.

The excellent work Victoria Thomas did in the casting of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is actually one major contributor to the success of the film. Her talent for discovering and bringing together just the right talent pushed Tarantino’s vision to a level that left them breathless: the audiences, the critics.

As much as Hollywood still continues to change, it cannot be reiterated enough just how important it is to stress the work of casting directors as major contributors. In this regard, with regard to this film, the work Thomas was able to do serves as a prime example of how good casting can so completely change the final product in terms of its quality and success.