TARANTINO CASTS DON JOHNSON AS PLANTATION OWNER PIMP IN 'DJANGO' (VAR, DH)

By Nancy Tartaglione-Moore

Quentin Tarantino has cast Don Johnson as plantation owner and pimp Spencer Bennett in his upcoming "Django Unchained."

Johnson joins a cast that includes Jaime Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz, Kurt Russell and Gerald McRainey.

Stacey Sher, Pilar Savone and Reginald Hudlin are producing. Harvey Weinstein, Michael Shamberg and Jim Skotchdopole are exec producing.

Variety sources say Tarantino had always been a fan of Johnson from his "Miami Vice" days, and very much wanted him for this part.

Deadline notes:

Tarantino is always good for a surprise or two when he goes beyond the obvious casting lists and taps talent from his memory banks, something he has done with the likes of John Travolta and the late David Carradine. Putting the former Miami Vice and Nash Bridges star into a villainous role here seems inspired. The liberated slave Django (Foxx) and his bounty hunter partner (Waltz) meet the evil plantation owner in pursuit of a bounty, and he turns the table on them. Tarantino has been talking to Johnson some time about the role.