What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedOnce Upon a Time... in Hollywood
Film · 2019
If you loved Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, start with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Quentin Tarantino, 2021) — a book from the same story. Below: 3 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood across media.
What hooked you in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood was the way it balances bittersweet industry nostalgia with the dark underbelly of fame.
Start with the source
Books on the same thread
Cinema Speculation
Quentin Tarantino · Book
Explores: auteur theory, cinematic nostalgia, film theory.
If you enjoyed the cinematic reverence in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, this deep dive provides the same auteur-driven analysis of the era that defined Tarantino's own creative vision.
The Family
Ed Sanders · Book · 2023
Explores: Cults, Murder, Social Commentary.
This authoritative account provides the grim historical reality behind the counterculture menace that looms over the sunny, idealized version of Los Angeles depicted in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood.
Manson
Jeff Guinn · Book · 2013
Explores: Cult of Personality, Criminal Psychology, Childhood Trauma.
Much like the looming shadow of the Manson family in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, this biography explores the chilling psychological breakdown of the era's most notorious criminal figure.
Series on the same thread
Entourage
Doug Ellin · Series · 2004
Shares a thread with Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood: Friendship.
You will recognize the central bromance and the vapid, high-stakes nature of the Los Angeles entertainment industry that Rick and Cliff navigate throughout Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood.
Party Down
Paul Rudd · Series · 2009
Explores: Hollywood satire, struggling artists, failure.
This series captures the same cynical, struggling artist perspective found in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, focusing on the dreamers waiting for their big break in a ruthless city.
Only Murders in the Building
Steve Martin · Series · 2021
Explores: True Crime Obsession, New York City, Intergenerational Friendship.
This show mirrors the true crime obsession and atmospheric mystery that permeates the background of Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, blending dark intrigue with an unlikely, charming central friendship.
The Kominsky Method
Chuck Lorre · Series · 2018
Shares a thread with Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood: Friendship.
This story of an aging actor reflects the melancholy of Rick Dalton in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, highlighting the transition from former glory to the realities of aging.
Podcasts on the same thread
Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend
Team Coco & Earwolf · Podcast · 2026
Explores: parasocial relationships, professional intimacy, self-deprecating humor.
The candid conversations here echo the professional intimacy and buddy-film dynamics that made the relationship between Rick and Cliff the beating heart of Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood.
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Podcast
Explores: Celebrity scandals, Crime stories, Hollywood secrets.
These stories of scandals and murder mysteries explore the same dark, hidden history of Hollywood that provides the underlying tension throughout the narrative of Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood available as a book?
Yes, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was released as a book in 2021. It serves as an adaptation of the 2019 film, allowing fans to further explore the story of Rick Dalton, Cliff Booth, and Sharon Tate in Los Angeles during 1969.
Does Once Upon a Time in Hollywood feature real historical figures?
Yes, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood includes real historical figures such as Sharon Tate and her husband, Roman Polanski. The narrative centers on their lives in 1969 Los Angeles alongside fictional characters like the television actor Rick Dalton and his stuntman Cliff Booth.
What is the setting of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood?
The story of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is set in Los Angeles during 1969. The plot follows the lives of a struggling western television star and his stuntman as they navigate a movie industry that is undergoing significant changes during that specific time period.
Who are the main characters in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood?
The main characters in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood are the television star Rick Dalton and his best friend, the stuntman Cliff Booth. The plot also highlights their neighbor, the promising actress and model Sharon Tate, who is married to the director Roman Polanski.