First Look Photos of Elle Fanning as She Portrays Real-Life "Texting Suicide" Defendant in Limited Series THE GIRL FROM PLAINVILLE
A couple new photos have been released from the upcoming limited series The Girl From Plainville, which sees Elle Fanning (We Bought a Zoo, The Great) playing the real-life defendant Michelle Carter in the “texting suicide” case that rocked the nation. The eight-episode Hulu series follows the Esquire article of the same name by Jesse Barron, which is based on Carter's relationship with Conrad Roy III and the events that led to his death and, later, her conviction of involuntary manslaughter.
Fanning stars as Carter in addition to serving as executive producer. The series also stars Chloë Sevigny as Lynn Roy, Colton Ryan as Conrad "Coco" Roy III, Cara Buono as Gail Carter, Kai Lennox as David Carter, and Norbert Leo Butz as Conrad "Co" Roy II.
This series is looking to walk the line between entertainment and information, and being sensitive to the subject matter and the mental health topics discussed within it. Co-showrunners Liz Hannah and Patrick Macmanus said they consulted the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the National Eating Disorder Association in making the series, with Macmanus telling EW:
"At the end of the day, yes, I do want people to be entertained by the story, but more than anything, I hope that it's the beginning of a conversation — that we help the conversation for everyone who's affected by mental illness, not just teenagers."
This is a rough story to tackle, but it sounds like the creators are taking caution to tell the story in a way that honors its victim, and opens up the ongoing discussions we should be having about mental health. Check out the photos of Fanning’s uncanny portrayal of the show’s subject, and watch The Girl From Plainville when it hits Hulu this Spring.
