In 2011, director Sussana Lo revealed in an interview with stars Taryn Manning and Monica Keena that the film will include sex and nudity, including from Manning and Keena. If true, it will be Keena's first onscreen nudity. Keena said, "I've never done a sex scene or nudity in a film before, and I've always said I never would unless the movie was absolutely brilliant and the story really called for it and was necessary to move the piece along and was not shot in a gratuitous way." Manning, who has performed nude in other projects said, "I personally don't have any issues with sex and nudity in art if its done in a manner which respects the female anatomy and sheds the most beautiful light on the species of the lady. I think the nudity required in Manson Girls is needed to tell an accurate story of how these people lived everyday lives, full of love and open hearts and minds."
Monica Keena said she was interested in the role because she's been intrigued by the Manson story ever since she attempted to read book "Helter Skelter" back in college. She never finished it because the detailed descriptions of all the murders started to give her nightmares.
Susanna Lo said she made sex and nudity a big part of the film instead of the graphic violence associated with the Manson family because Hollywood tends to condone violence and shun sex, which never made sense to her.
After Deadline announced in November 2014 that actor Bill Moseley would be playing Charles Manson, he said it wasn't true on social media, stating "Ain't no Manson Girls in my f*ckin' future." Though he was attached in 2011 and even filmed some initial footage before funding fell through. But it isn't known if he had committed to appearing in the actual film or just in footage set up for finding investors.
In late January 2011, Susanna Lo officially announced via the Associated Press at the Sundance film festival that she would be directing Manson Girls from her own script for her production company Slomotion Studios. She impressed reporters with the fact that she already had Taryn Manning, Heather Matarazzo, Tania Raymonde, and Monica Keena set to star. Filming began soon after but it wasn't clear if the footage they shot was intended to be part of a "sizzle reel" or if it was intended to be included in the movie. What is known is that around the time, the funding they were relying on fell through, and the footage shot was edited into a promotional video meant to interest new investors.