play a washed-up actor and his stunt double respectively. From what can be gleaned from the reviews – Tarantino asked critics not to reveal the plot – they end up embroiled with Manson’s clan.
But how does Debra feel as her sister’s murder is dramatised on screen for entertainment again - this time by a director known for his violence and gore? She admits she was worried when she first heard the film was being made, and initially wrote a scathing article about the director. ‘I was a mess,’ she remembers. Then Tarantino got in touch and reassured her it would be handled tastefully. The pair ended up spending three days together.
with some critics saying that, as Sharon, Margot Robbie doesn’t have enough lines on screen. But Debra is a fan of Margot. ‘I met her and I was very happy with her as an actress,’ she says, adding, ‘I just hope they do Sharon’s true character justice. My fear is that things will fall short as they always have in the past. With each film that comes out, I hope they will do it right and I’ve always been disappointed. But with this one I’m extremely hopeful.
She and Margot even spent time together in California last autumn, discussing Sharon so that the actress could bring her sister’s personality to the role. ‘Since Sharon, I’ve never met anyone with her qualities, but Margot comes close. She was also extremely loving, giving, down-to-earth and takes her craft seriously. I’m hoping Margot having those qualities in common might shine through in her playing Sharon.
Most of all, though, Debra wants Sharon to be remembered for the potential she had – and suggests that her full story remains to be told. ‘She would have been a tremendous star on a global level. She was just such a heavenly light; full of life and vibrancy,’ she says. ‘I believe that a story needs to be told about her life, not her death. I don’t want Sharon to be remembered for her last moments. She wouldn’t want that either.