With the success of his previous drama series The Undoing and Big Little Lies, David E. Kelley is back with another dramatic offering for HBO Max. The upcoming miniseries Love and Death will have a storyline that is very similar to those of the shows that were described earlier.
Love and Death is inspired by the real-life events surrounding the murder of Candy Montgomery’s close friend and neighbour, Betty Gore, which occurred in the early 1980s.
The show is based on the book Proof of Love: A Real Tale of Passion and Death in the Suburbs, which was written by John Bloom and Jim Atkinson. Also, the show was inspired by two lengthy articles published in Texas Monthly titled “Love & Death In Silicon Prairie, Part I & II.”
Elizabeth Olsen, who is best known for her depiction of Wanda on the current Disney+ television series WandaVision and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, will take the lead role in this brand-new series.
Her previous television work includes the critically praised Marvel series as well as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Her next project in television will be titled Love and Death.
According to The Hollywood Reporter’s findings, the project will be produced by Lesli Linka Glatter and Nicole Kidman in conjunction with Lionsgate Television.
It has been reported by Deadline that Glatter will be directing episodes of this series. She is best recognised for her work as a director on television shows such as Mad Men, Homeland, and True Blood.
Is Love And Death Based On True Story
The story of a local church-going couple in Wylie, Texas will be told through the lens of a lovely and tranquil existence in the miniseries, which will take place in the early 1980s and be set in that era.
But everything changes for them when Candy Montgomery murders her friend Betty Gore by striking her in the head with a wood-splitting axe. From that point on, their lives are turned completely and utterly upside down.
Throughout the latter half of the 1970s, Candy’s husband and Betty’s husband were secretly involved in an affair, which neither of their respective spouses knew about. Gore was murdered on a day when her husband was out of town for business.
He asked the others in the neighbourhood to go check on her, and when they did so after having to break into Betty’s house, they discovered her dead body, which had been stabbed 41 times.
According to the witness’s account, Candy is the last person to have seen Betty alive. As a result, she is immediately considered the primary suspect in this homicide investigation.
As the investigation into the murder continues, Candy admits that she was the one who was ultimately responsible for Betty’s death. On the other hand, she claimed that Betty found out about the affair between her and her husband, and that as a direct result of this information, Betty became enraged and attacked her.
According to Candy’s statement, her defence is that she was acting in self-defense when she murdered Betty, and that this justifies her innocence of the murder charge.
We do not yet have any information regarding the kind of narrative arc that will be featured in this new series. Will it focus on a certain defining moment from the murder itself or the subsequent trial, or will it tell the complete tale of the crime, including the affair?
Even though the captivating narrative of this murder case has caused it to be discussed for years, the conclusion of the trial has caused many people to question Candy’s version of events.
For example, as Soapboxie has demonstrated, there are a number of flaws in Candy’s explanation that she acted in self-defense. This is especially true when considering the fact that Betty gave no indication that she was aware of Candy and her husband’s affair in the days leading up to Betty’s passing.
This was mostly inferred due to the fact that Candy wrote a letter to her parents not long before her passing in which she referred to Candy as a “good friend.” Candy’s letter was found shortly after her passing.
Also Read: Is The Movie Lean On Me Based On A True Story?
Love and Death: The Cast
The starring part in this upcoming production will be played by Elizabeth Olsen. Sarah Aubrey, the Head of Original Content for HBO Max,
was quoted as saying that she is “very lucky to have Elizabeth at the centre of our story to bring out all the layers of Candy that make this story so unforgettable.” This quote was given in a statement that was sent to Deadline.
In addition to this, Kevin Beggs, the head of Lionsgate Television Group, stated that “Elizabeth Olsen is the only performer that comes to mind when thinking about the ideal candidate to play the lead character of Candy. Her extraordinary ability to captivate an audience is matched only by her magnetic persona and boundless vitality.”
In addition to Olsen, the series will feature performances from a number of other well-known actors, including Patrick Fugit as Pat Montgomery, Jesse Plemons as Allan Gore, Lily Rabe as Betty Gore, and a few others.
Also Read: Is The Perfect Storm A True Story?
Elizabeth Olsen Becomes Candy Montgomery
The seven-part series was written by David E. Kelley and is directed by Lesli Linka Glatter. Together with Nicole Kidman, Per Saari, Scott Brown, Megan Creydt, Matthew Tinker, Michael Klick, and Helen Verno, the two serve as executive producers.
The show’s idea and the choice of Olsen for the lead part were welcomed by Lionsgate TV Group CEO Kevin Beggs when the project was first announced in 2021.
A more ideal performer for the character of Candy than Elizabeth Olsen is hard to conceive “As stated by Beggs. “She has an infectious personality, incredible talent, and boundless enthusiasm.
Along with Lesli, David, and Nicole, who are all at the top of their game, we’re excited to present another fascinating premium product to our partners at HBO Max, and we hope you like the show as much as we do!
The Love & Death premiere air date is April 27, 2023 on HBO Max. On that date, you can watch the first three episodes, and every week after that until the series finale on May 25.
