Following the recent casting of Game of Thrones vet Sophie Turner, Variety brings word that The Stand actress Odessa Young has officially been cast in HBO Max’ upcoming true-crime drama The Staircase, based on the real-life of Michael Peterson who was convicted of murdering his second wife Kathleen in 2003. Young is set to portray the role of one of Michael Peterson’s adopted daughters named Martha Ratliff.
The 23-year-old Australian actress’s notable film credits include The Daughter, Looking for Grace, Assassination Nation, The Professor, and Shirley. The upcoming miniseries will also mark the second collaboration between Young and lead star Colin Firth, who are both set to star in the upcoming drama film Mothering Sunday, which will make its world premiere this July at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.
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The Staircase is expected to explore the life of Michael Peterson, his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson. In 2001, Peterson was arrested for the murder of his second wife after he had claimed that she died after falling down the stairs at their home due to consuming alcohol and Valium. However, the autopsy report refutes Peterson’s claims because it was concluded that she died from sustaining multiple injuries, including blows to the back of her head with a blunt object.
The limited series will be led by Oscar winner Colin Firth as Michael and acclaimed actress Toni Collette as Kathleen. Joining are Juliette Binoche, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Parker Posey
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Based on Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s true-crime docuseries and various books and reports on the case, The Staircase will be written and directed by Antonio Campos (The Devil All the Time, The Sinner) and Maggie Cohn (American Crime Story), who are both serving as showrunners. The Max Original is a co-production between HBO Max and Annapurna Television, with Campos and Cohn as executive producers.
