Actors face many trials in showbiz, and one of the most dangerous is being typecast. If an actor takes too many similar roles, he or she will suddenly be stuck playing magicians or hobbits or villains for the rest of their careers. As a musician known for his relatively dark tunes, Marilyn Manson doesn’t seem to worry about typecasting, and it's no surprise that his relatively few on-screen parts have been darker ones. Now, Manson has signed on to play a role on a show that appears to be a perfect fit: Salem.
Manson will guest-star as a character called Thomas Dinley, who works as the barber/surgeon to the residents of Salem. While there generally isn’t much overlap in the barber and surgeon professions nowadays, Salem is set way back in the 17th century at a time when the two could presumably be handled by one man. According to TVLine, Dinley will take care of the residents who visit him for anything from a shave and a haircut to being leeched, bled, sliced open, and/or sewn up.
Salem has aired two seasons on WGN America since premiering in 2014, and it loosely follows the real-life events of the Salem witch trials in the 1600s. A major difference between the show and the actual historical record is that Salem is not exactly ambiguous about whether or not witches are real and have a place in the town. Witches are definitely real and at large in Salem, and it’s been an intriguing series that Manson will likely feel right at home in, even if it's only for one episode.
Importing Manson in for a guest stint on Salem may seem to come a little bit out of nowhere, but he’s actually had a connection with the series from the beginning. He collaborated with composer Tyler Bates on the show’s theme song, entitled “Cupid Carries a Gun.”
Manson has had memorable appearances on television in the past. He played a role that came naturally to him – that is, a version of himself – on Showtime’s Californication, and he had a recurring part in the final season of FX’s Sons of Anarchy as a white supremacist. It should be interesting to see how Manson’s performance on Salem will compare to his previous appearances on the small screen.
Season 3 of Salem has only just started production, so we still have quite a while until we get to see Marilyn Manson's Thomas Dinley breaking out the scissors and scalpels. Luckily, there’s plenty of solid programming to pass the time as we wait. For a look at when your other favorite shows will be debuting in 2016, check out our list of midseason TV premiere dates.
