From Hulu’s “The Act” to Netflix’s “Inventing Anna,” dramatized adaptations of non-violent crime true crime stories have been grabbing the attention of streaming platforms, and of course Hulu is joining on the game with The Girl From Plainville.
The new series follows the unique 2014 case of Michelle Carter, a Massachusetts woman who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the death of her boyfriend Conrad Roy III by suicide. More specifically, Hulu’s dramatized series has been adapted from a 2017 deep dive into the case — also titled “The Girl From Plainville — by journalist Jesse Barron that appeared in Esquire.
According to Deadline, the show counts Patrick Macmanus, “The Post” co-writer Liz Hannah, and series star Elle Fanning as executive producers. Erin Lee Carr, who made a documentary about the case, and Barron are both on board as consulting producers.
In early February, viewers got a look at what this dark, but no doubt riveting, miniseries has in store when Hulu dropped a teaser trailer. Thankfully, there are also plenty of other details we’ve already learned about the series. Here’s everything you need to know about “The Girl From Plainville,” including the release date, cast, and trailer for the show.
When will The Girl From Plainville is released?
Per Deadline, the series will debut on Hulu on March 29. The eight-episode series will come out with three episodes on the premiere date, followed by one new episode each week thereafter. “The Girl From Plainville” was given the straight-to-series treatment by Hulu after the series’ producers UCP, a division of the Universal Studio Group, acquired the rights to Jesse Barron’s Esquire article in 2019 (per Deadline). After a quick turnaround, the show now appears to be ready for its debut.
If you are too curious about the case to wait until March 29, you should know that this is not the first time that the Michelle Carter case has been adapted in popular media. Documentarian Erin Lee Carr previously looked at the case in her film “I Love You, Now Die,” which is available on HBO Max. Lifetime’s original movie “Michelle and Conrad: If Words Could Kill” was also based on Carter and Roy’s tragic tale.
Who will be in The Girl From Plainville?
Starring in “The Girl From Plainville” is Elle Fanning, who has taken on the role of Michelle Carter for the series. Most recently, you’ve seen Fanning on the Hulu series “The Great” and the fantasy sequel “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.” Colton Ryan from “Dear Evan Hansen,” meanwhile, plays Carter’s boyfriend Conrad Roy III. The show also has a stellar supporting cast. Chloe Sevigny, from “The Act” and “American Horror Story,” will play the role of Lynn Roy, Conrad Roy III’s mother. Meanwhile, Norbert Leo Butz will play Conrad Roy II. Carter’s parents will be played by Kai Lennox and “Stranger Things” actor Cara Buono.
Additionally, the series will feature “Perry Mason” actor Ella Kennedy Davis as Roy’s younger sister. Several other actors, such as Peter Gerety, Michael Mosley, Kylie Liya Page, and Jeff Wahlberg are also set to star in recurring roles in the show (per Deadline).
You can get a quick look at what some of these actors look like in character thanks to the teaser trailer for “The Girl From Plainville.”
What’s the story for The Girl From Plainville?
The 30-second teaser trailer for the limited series largely focuses on Elle Fanning’s Carter. It starts as a sobbing and visibly distraught Carter walks to her parents and tells them that Conrad is dead, to which her mother responds, “Who’s Conrad?” The trailer then gives the audience snippets from Carter’s life spanning from before Roy’s death to her eventual trial.
Carter and Roy, who lived in nearby suburbs of Massachusetts, met for the first time while on vacation in 2012. Their relationship, which largely played out over emails, texts, and calls, was further burdened by the mental health issues that both of them faced. The show digs deeper into the case by examining several source materials, from the Esquire article to the court documents. Another important element that Hulu used to provide more context to Carter’s story and the time period it is set in is the popular Fox show “Glee.” Fanning explained that “Glee,” Carter’s favorite show, had a huge impact on her understanding of Carter (per Deadline).
