Hulu film reveals filmmaker as Charles Manson granddaughter

A new documentary exploring the personal and generational fallout of a shocking family connection to one of America's most infamous criminals premiered on Hulu on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. "My Grandfather Charles Manson" follows actress and filmmaker Sophia Maddox as she processes the revelation that the notorious cult leader is her biological grandfather.

Maddox, 26, learned the truth in 2022 after her father, Daniel Arguelles, confirmed his own paternity through DNA testing. Arguelles, who was raised by his mother and stepfather, had spent years searching for his biological father. In 2015, he submitted a DNA sample to a genealogy website. Years later, he matched with Michael Brunner, a known son of Charles Manson, and additional testing in 2022 confirmed the biological link.

Maddox recalled her father initially struggled to tell her, waiting two months before revealing the dark discovery. She described her immediate reaction as one of profound sorrow, bending over and sobbing upon hearing the news. The documentary traces her emotional journey as she seeks to understand this inherited legacy, moving beyond the crimes themselves to examine the impact on her identity and family.