Posted in: Peacock, TV | Tagged: amanda seyfried, Long Bright River

Long Bright River: Amanda Seyfried Set for Peacock's New Cop Drama

Amanda Seyfried is set to star in Peacock's upcoming series adaptation of Liz Moore's bestselling cop thriller Long Bright River.

Amanda Seyfried finally plays a cop in the gritty new crime drama Long Bright River, adapted from Liz Moore's bestselling novel. Every star eventually ends up playing a cop on TV. Seyfriend plays Mickey, a police officer who patrols a Philadelphia neighborhood hard-hit by the opioid crisis. When a series of murders begins in the neighborhood, Mickey realizes that her personal history might be related to the case. Because on cop shows, it always does. Author and Co-Creator Moore will be executive producer with co-creator, showrunner and director Nikki Toscano. The cast includes Nicholas Pinnock, Ashleigh Cummings, Callum Vinson, and John Doman.

Author Liz Moore on Long Bright River

"The question authors are frequently asked about their books is: "What inspired this?" When it comes to Long Bright River, it's difficult to answer concisely. I could say that the first seed of the novel was planted in 2009 when I first set foot in Kensington — a tight-knit, vibrant neighborhood in Philadelphia that has become very dear to me and that is often misunderstood and misrepresented in the national media. I could say that the first seed was planted by my own family's history of addiction, which has spanned many generations and has been a topic of conversation among us since well before I was born. I could say that being a sister inspired Long Bright River or living in the city of Philadelphia. Really, it's a mix of all of these.

Being part of the team bringing the novel to life as a series has been a moving experience. Just as I can't point to one source of inspiration for the book, I can't point to one source of inspiration for the series — not even the novel itself. Long Bright River, the series, has been a true group effort. Everyone involved — including co-creator and showrunner Nikki Toscano (who was also one of our directors on the series!); our talented actors, led by Amanda Seyfried; each department, the entire crew — has brought their own creative voice to the table to make this series feel brand new. The city of Philadelphia and the neighborhood of Kensington have also played an important part, lending advisors, artists, musicians, set dressers, actors — trained and untrained — to the production. We are indebted to them for sharing their voices and vision with us. Thank you for watching. We hope you enjoy it."

Co-Creator and Showrunner Nikki Toscano on Adapting the Novel

"When my agents first brought me Long Bright River, I read the novel in one sitting. Liz Moore's breathtakingly beautiful story about a patrol cop on the hunt for her missing younger sister in the midst of a series of murders in Kensington, Philadelphia, was as compelling in its family drama as it was in its murder mystery. I immediately knew it was something I wanted to take a crack at translating to screen with Liz. The challenge of adapting this moving love story between two sisters as it elegantly weaves between the past and the present was thrilling, particularly as the history of this family's past holds a critical key in solving the murder/mystery that unfolds in the present. Equally compelling was the sense of place Liz brought to her novel,l which I was excited about translating to screen, both as a writer and as a director.

But perhaps what drew me in the most was the possibility of what this show could achieve in its ambition to upend stereotypes: of those born into poverty and addiction, of those engaging in sex work, of those who have been written off or marginalized after they've seemingly fallen through the cracks of their community, and finally, of those engaged in police work. In fact, what makes Long Bright River so unique as a series is that it aims to deconstruct the "police as savior" narrative — a journey pulled through our protagonist, Mickey Fitzpatrick, played by Amanda Seyfried.

Strap yourself in – 'cause this is Amanda like you've never seen her before – flawed and raw, tarred by guilt and shame and legacy, but never more compelling. She puts every ounce of her soul onto the screen, and her performance will break your heart. In fact, all of our cast's performances – Nicholas, Ashleigh, Callum, and John, among so many others – will grab a hold of you and never let go. And that passion and commitment is just as true of the performances that happened offscreen, from our line producer Jerry Kupfer to our writer/executive producer Russell Rothberg on set to our entirely female gang of directors that I was lucky to be a part of to our post team led by Matt Barber, and every member of our incredible and dedicated crew. We hope that Long Bright River will make the same indelible mark on you as it has made on us – and that it's a story that stays with you long after the final frame has rolled. Thank you so much for watching."

Long Bright River is coming to Peacock TV.

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