Luke Perry’s Son Jack Says Dad Was “Reinvigorated” By Working With Quentin Tarantino

Luke Perry’s role in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood isn’t just special because it was his last screen part before his untimely death in March; it also marks the time the late Riverdale actor and his son Jack will appear on film together. Jack Perry recently opened up about the experience, revealing that Luke was “so excited about” because it “reinvigorated him and reenergized him.”

Apparently, Luke had to convince Jack to play a cameo in the feverishly anticipated Quentin Tarantino film. “He’s like, ‘I want you to be in the same film or collection of footage that I’m in,’ and he was really adamant about it,” Jack recently said on Chris Jericho’s podcast, “Talk Is Jericho.” “I was like, ‘Alright dad, I’ll do it.’”

Jack ended up having a great experience on the set and even “did some extra work.” As Jack shared, Tarantino was very “cool” about Jack’s part, even though it was his first major acting role. (Though, he does have on-camera experience as a professional wrestler named “Jungle Boy.”) Luke was also thrilled with the whole project. “He said, ‘If I never work again, I’m happy with this,’” Jack said.

That sentiment echoes previous anecdotes from others close to the film, like producer Shannon McIntosh, who recently shared that working with Tarantino was “a bucket list for Luke.” “Luke went in and won that part and deserved that part and owned that part, so it’s really special that was a bucket list that he was able to work with Quentin,” McIntosh told Entertainment Weekly. “His performance is amazing and he will be remembered as we release this movie, and his family will celebrate his performance with us.”

One of the reasons Luke’s performance is so compelling in the film is that he “brings a very vivid character who is charismatic, and he brings heart to whatever he does,” as producer David Heyman said, adding, “I think that it will be a pleasure for those fans of Luke to see.”

One of those fans is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio, who shared his appreciation for the actor after Luke died from a massive stroke on March 4. “Luke Perry was a kindhearted and incredibly talented artist,” DiCaprio tweeted at the time. “It was an honor to be able to work with him.”

We will finally be able to see Luke and Jack’s performance together, along with all of the other stars attached to the project, when it hits theaters on July 26.