Following his Golden Globe nomination in The Great, El Fanning returned to television this spring to delve into the notorious real crime case.
Hulu has unveiled the first trailer for The Plainville Girl, due out March 29. The eight-episode series is based on a 2017 Esquire article by Jesse Barron and starring Fanning as Michelle Carter, who was convicted of manslaughter after the death of her friend Conrad Roy III.
Born in Massachusetts, Carter was 17 at the time of Roy’s death. Investigators have uncovered what is described as a “barrage” of text messages in which she encourages 18-year-old Roy to take his own life. She was released from prison in 2020 after less than a year behind bars.
Watch the trailer for “The Plainville Girl” below.
In addition to Fanning, the series stars Colton Ryan as Roy. Norbert Leo Butz and Chloe Sevini play his parents.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in January, screenwriters Liz Hannah and Patrick McManus praised the level of research undertaken by Fanning to portray Carter.
“The physical abilities that Elle discovered in the role of Michelle – she studies all the recordings in the courtroom, studies the documentary [HBO’s ‘I Love You, Now Die’] “She really went out of her way to make sure the movement and the way she spoke were authentic,” Hannah said. “So I think that in tandem with change, it really unites everything physically.
McManus added: “She wanted this to be an honest portrayal not only of these families and what they went through, but also of what people go through on a daily basis in general when it comes to their mental health.
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