-

Damon Herriman did something very unusual recently: he played Charles Manson in both Mindhunter season 2 and Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. If you’ve seen the second season of Mindhunter, you know it’s a key moment in the series and his performance is mesmerizing. Since I loved both portrayals and have been a big fan of Herriman’s work on shows like Justified and Quarry, I recently managed to have the busy actor stop by the Collider studio for a wide-ranging video interview.

mindhunter-damon-herriman-manson
Image via Netflix

During the extended conversation, Herriman talked about making Mindhunter, why he believed Quentin Tarantino wouldn’t cast him as Charles Manson in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the differences between his performance of Manson in 1969 and 1980, what he filmed for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood that didn’t make it to the final version, David Fincher, and a lot more. In addition, with Herriman currently filming the Barry Jenkins Amazon series The Underground Railroad, he talked about who he plays and why he thinks the series will be special, working with Ben Kingsley on the series Perpetual Grace, LTD, FX's Mr. Inbetween, and a lot more.

Check out what he had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about.

damon-herriman-charles-manson-once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood
Image via Sony

Damon Herriman:

  • Who Herriman plays in Judy & Punch and when audiences are going to be able to see that film.
  • Which project came about first - Mindhunter or Once Upon a Time in Hollywood?
  • Why he believed Quentin Tarantino wouldn’t cast him as Charles Manson because he was already playing him for Mindhunter.
  • Whether he filmed more than one scene for Mindhunter season 2.
  • What it took behind-the-scenes to craft the look of Mindhunter’s Charles Manson.
  • Whether he walked away with a new understanding of Charles Manson.
  • Why it took three days to film his one Mindhunter scene and why it was the hardest job he’s ever done, physically.
  • What David Fincher does on set of Mindhunter when he’s not directing the episode.
  • If he’s heard anything about Manson returning for future Mindhunter seasons.
  • What it was like to jump from playing Manson on Mindhunter straight to playing Manson in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
  • The differences between his performance of Manson in 1969 and 1980.
  • mr-inbetween-damon-herriman-02
    Image via FX
    The first cut of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood that was 4 hours long.
  • What he filmed for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood that didn’t make it to the final version, and the one particular cut scene that is “Quentin’s writing at his best.”
  • His work on Barry Jenkins’ Amazon series The Underground Railroad and finally getting to play a “not horrible person”.
  • How he’s trying to avoid “playing a-holes” for as long as possible.
  • What specifically makes The Underground Railroad special.
  • Working with Ben Kingsley on the series Perpetual Grace, LTD and what the show is about.
  • Playing Kingsley’s son on the series but not getting to share any scenes together in season one.
  • How many times a year he still gets called Dewey, his character’s name from Justified.
  • Being careful about going outside in costume as Dewey, a white supremacist.
  • How nothing he’s worked on has had as much time put into it as Mindhunter.
  • What he will appear in next, including FX's Mr. Inbetween.
quarry-logan-marshall-green-damon-herriman
Image via Cinemax