Elle Fanning will star in Hulu’s brand new scripted series that follows the true crime case surrounding Michelle Carter.
Titled The Girl From Plainville, the 22-year-old actress will be playing Carter, the teenager convicted in the 2014 death of her boyfriend Conrad Roy III. Fanning is also set to serve as an executive producer on the project.
According to Decider, the new series will explore “Carter’s relationship with Roy, the events that led to his death, and later, her highly-publicised trial”.
Carter was arrested after authorities discovered Roy’s body in his pickup truck on July 13, 2014. In the weeks before Roy took his own life, he exchanged several texts with Carter, his 17-year-old long-distance girlfriend, who reportedly encouraged him to commit suicide.
In new photos published by Entertainment Weekly, we have our first look at the actress assuming the role of Carter, and let’s just say the resemblance is uncanny. Fanning (who is also executive producer on the show), was adamant that she wanted to tell a different side of the story.
“She did not want this to feel sensational,” showrunner Patrick Macmanus told Entertainment Weekly. “She wanted it to be an honest portrayal of not just these families and what they went through, but from what people are going through in general on a day-to-day basis when it comes to their mental health.”
The series also consulted with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the National Eating Disorder Association to ensure an accurate portrayal of the tough issues the series touches on.
Carter was convicted of involuntary manslaughter three years ago, but was released early from prison after serving 11 months of her 15-month sentence.
The new Hulu series is based on Esquire magazine’s 2017 story of the same name. The author, Jesse Barron, will serve as a consulting producer on the project, according to The Wrap.
Erin Lee Carr, the filmmaker behind HBO’s 2019 documentary about Carter, I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth V. Michelle Carter, will also reportedly consult on the project. The trailer of which, you can watch below.
For Fanning, The Girl From Plainville keeps her as a consistent member of the Hulu program. She also stars in the historical dramedy The Great in the role of Catherine the Great which was nominated for two Emmy Awards and was renewed for a second season in July, and two more seasons in January 2022.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
