True Blood’s Ryan Kwanten goes crazy to play Charles Manson

“True Blood” beefstick Jason Stackhouse may be a simple-minded sort, but there are more layers to actor Ryan Kwanten.

The Aussie is shedding the good-natured Southern charmer to play charismatic loon Charles Manson in an upcoming project called THE FAMILY.

THE MACHINIST writer Scott Kosar is making his directing debut on the film, and he gives STYD some details about his approach to the story of the infamous criminal and his heinous activities: “Unlike other films on the subject, THE FAMILY will also spend time getting to know the victims, particularly Sharon Tate, who will be portrayed very sympathetically. I don’t think a responsible movie can be made about this subject without humanizing the victims, which must be done in order to truly convey – as much as a film is able to – the enormity of the tragedy. This won’t be a slasher film, but it won’t gloss over the violence either.”

Kwanten can also be seen in the modern Western RED HILL, but what I’m looking forward to is THE KNIGHTS OF BADASSDOM, in which he joins Peter Dinklage and Steve Zahn as live-action roleplayers who have to fight actual monsters.