Hot off her starring turn in the year’s best narrative featureThe Invisible Man,Elisabeth Mosshas signed on to play accused axe murdererCandy Montgomeryin the true crime seriesCandyfrom some of the folks behindThe Act.
The limited series is based on the true story of Montgomery, a married mother of two in Texas who allegedly killed her friend from church,Betty Gore, with an axe back in 1980. The case made headlines, especially when all the sordid details were revealed and Montgomery’s motive was exposed. The story was previously adapted as a TV movie titledA Killing in a Small Townthat aired on CBS in 1990 and wonBarbara Hersheyan Emmy.
The Actco-creatorNick Antoscawill executive produce alongside his Eat the Cat partnerAlex Hedlundas well asRobin Veith, who worked onThe Actas a writer and co-executive producer. Veith wrote the pilot script, and has prior experience writing for Moss, having served as a writer onMad Men. She and Antosca are both currently under overall deals at UCP.
“I have been wanting to play an anti-heroine for a while now, and have been trying to work with Robin again afterMad Menfor even longer, so when she asked me if I wanted to play a housewife from Texas who, some would say, got away with murder, I simply said, ‘Where do I sign?’ Adding the opportunity to work with Nick after his incredible work onThe Actwas like taking a delicious dessert and putting 100 cherries on top,” Moss said in a statement. She’ll also serve as an executive producer along withLindsey McManus, whileJim AtkinsonandJohn Bloomwill serve as consulting producers.
There’s no network or streamer involved inCandyyet, but the series hails from Universal Content Productions, which was behind bothThe ActandDirty John, and has really embraced true crime series as a strategy going forward. UCP is also developing aJoe Exoticseries that will starKate McKinnonasCarole Baskinin addition to a Peacock series based on the hit podcastDr. Death, plus shows based on the Massachusetts texting suicide case and the famous kidnapping ofJan Broberg, the latter of which Antosca will tackle himself.
Moss won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her performance inThe Handmaid’s Tale, and a second Golden Globe for her work inTop of the Lake. Her acclaimed turn as Peggy Olson onMad Menearned her six Emmy nominations, so she’s incredibly well-respected by her peers, and she’ll soon be seen alongside half of Hollywood inWes Anderson’s ensemble pieceThe French Dispatch.
In addition toThe Invisible Man, which performed very well in theaters before they shut down due to the pandemic, Moss can currently be seen in the movieShirleyon Hulu. She also has a supporting role inTaika Waititi’s sports movieNext Goal Winson the horizon.Click hereto watchPerri Nemiroff’s interview with Moss as part of Collider’s Ladies Night.
