‘My Grandfather Charles Manson’: The Story Behind the Shocking Documentary

What would you do if you discovered your bloodline was connected to one of the most notorious cult leaders in modern American history? What if your grandfather was known as “the Face of Evil”? Those are the questions facing filmmaker and actress Sophia Maddox, who, after taking a home DNA test, learned that her grandfather was none other than Charles Manson, the man behind the 1969 Tate-LaBianca murders, in My Grandfather Charles Manson.

Soon streaming on Hulu, the new documentary chronicles Maddox’s journey as she confronts this shocking revelation, unravels long-buried family secrets, and grapples with the weight of one of America’s darkest legacies.

Here is everything we know about the documentary, including what it is about and how to stream it.

Where can you watch My Grandfather Charles Manson?

My Grandfather Charles Manson premieres on Wednesday, July 22, on Hulu, including through the Hulu app on Disney+.

Who is Sophia Maddox?

Sophia Maddox is a Los Angeles-based actress and filmmaker who, thanks to catching COVID on a plane ride, discovered that she is the biological granddaughter of the infamous cult leader and convicted murderer Charles Manson.

Who is Charles Manson?

Briefly, Charles Manson was a cult leader who formed the Manson Family in the late 1960s. He is best known for directing his followers to carry out the Tate-LaBianca murders in 1969 in Los Angeles, California, which claimed the lives of nine people, including pregnant actress Sharon Tate. Through a series of home invasions and murders, he was hoping to spark an apocalypse known as “Helter Skelter” and set himself up as a world leader.

Although he did not physically commit the killings himself, Manson was found guilty of giving orders to commit the murders and was convicted in 1971 of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Originally sentenced to death, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment when California temporarily abolished the death penalty.

Manson died in prison in 2017.

How did Sophia Maddox find out?

“I caught COVID on the plane ride home,” Maddox said to People. She asked her father, Daniel Arguelles, if he would take her to get tested. While the two were on the phone, Arguelles told her the news. “It just popped up. He said, ‘I think I found out who my dad is. And if it’s true, it’s really dark,’” Maddox explained.

According to Arguelles, he submitted DNA to a genealogy website in 2015 and matched with another user fathered by Charles Manson.

What is My Grandfather Charles Manson about?

The documentary follows Maddox as the discovery puts a strain on her relationship with her father and leads her into the hidden world of former Manson Family members. Along the way, she uncovers never-before-seen family records and unheard audio recordings that shed new light on her family’s past.

It also asks a difficult question: Can the legacy of someone like Charles Manson affect future generations? The film explores whether his violent behavior and mindset could have left a lasting impact on his descendants.

My Grandfather Charles Manson, July 22, Hulu