Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Bruce Dern has signed on to take over the late Burt Reynolds' role in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Dern, a longtime friend of Reynolds who starred alongside him several times, is taking over the role of George Spahn, the rancher who in real life owned the ranch where Charles Manson lived with his followers in the 1960s.
Reynolds had been signed on to play the role and attended a table read with costars prior to his Sept. 6 death.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio as former TV star Rick Dalton and Brad Putt as stunt double Cliff Booth.
Dern, a two-time Oscar nominee, is currently in Spain filming a movie called Remember Me.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is scheduled for a July 26, 2019 release.