Once Upon A Time In Hollywood true story: What happened to Sharon Tate?

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood follows Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton, an actor who is struggling to cope with the decline of his career. His stunt double Cliff Booth, played by Brad Pitt, joins him on a shocking journey which leads them to the cult ranch of Charles Manson. The film also follows Hollywood actress Sharon Tate, who was one of Manson’s victims in his family’s killing spree.

The history of what happened to Sharon is not necessarily how Tarantino has chosen to portray it in the film, but her story is an important one nonetheless.

At the time of her murder she was living in Hollywood with her director husband, Roman Polanski.

He was not in the country, however, meaning it was Sharon, three friends and an unfortunate fifth person who were brutally killed.

What happened to Sharon Tate?

Sharon Tate was born in Texas in 1943, the eldest of three daughters, to a US Army officer and his wife.

The family moved around a great deal and as Sharon got older, she was considered a real beauty, leading her to win various beauty pageants.

She obtained parts as an extra in various movies before gaining small roles on TV, before her first big role in Eye of the Devil.

Sharon and friend Jay Sebring travelled to London where she met her future husband, Roman Polanski.

The pair soon married as Sharon continued to impress and get bigger roles, before her career took a backseat leading up to her pregnancy in 1968.

She and Roman moved to 10050 Cielo Drive, which had been previously owned by their friends Terry Melcher and Candice Bergen.

Roman left his pregnant wife to film in Europe, during which time her friends Wojciech Frykowski and Abigail Folger stayed with her.

How was Sharon Tate murdered?

Charles Manson, leader of the infamous Manson family, was disgruntled after a disagreement with Terry Melcher, and instructed members of his cult to kill those living in Melcher’s former home.

Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Linda Kasabian drove up to the house and three of them went into the house, while Linda waited outside.

They killed all four people in the house, despite Sharon’s pleas to be held hostage until she could give birth.

The group also killed another man, Steven Parent, who was leaving the property after visiting the caretaker, who lived in an outhouse.

They left the word ‘pig’ written on the door in Sharon’s blood, after a horrific stabbing spree saw everyone in the house brutally killed.

The group were soon prosecuted and convicted of murder, along with Charles Manson, after the group killed Leno and Rosemary LaBianca the following night.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is in cinemas now