Chloë Sevigny says telling real story of text-messaging suicide was "immense weight"
NEW YORK - The true-crime min-series ‘The Girl From Plainville’ on Hulu continues to receive rave reviews. We recently spoke with Elle Fanning about being the executive producer and taking on the role of Michelle Carter.
In real life, Carter is still under probation after she spent 11 months in jail for involuntary manslaughter, for encouraging her boyfriend Conrad Roy to take his own life over text message.
Now we're talking to the rest of the cast about the series that’s re-telling the tragic story in a new light.
Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner (and Brooklyn resident) Chloë Sevigny portrays Conrad's Mother, Lynn Roy.
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Sevigny reflects on the delicacy of the story.
"I mean, it’s really hard to live in those painful places," said Sevigny. "You know… there was a lot of care and sensitivity and respect that went into telling the story through all of the creators, writers, directors, show runners, and actors. I think that we all found it sounds like an immense weight and responsibility of telling the story correctly and with care. So that was comforting to have all of us kind of in it together… in the same kind of like weird zone."
Episode 5 will be released Wednesday.
"I know that Lynn Roy had given her blessing, and I really want to just help bring Conrad's story forward to people to learn a little bit more about the boy behind the story because so much was brought and attention was brought on Michelle," added Sevigny.
RELATED: Elle Fanning hesitated to star in 'heavy' series, The Girl From Plainville
Taking on the role of the late Conrad Roy is Colton Ryan.
"I got to know Coco, and I think I got to know him more intimately than (of course not his family are people that loved him) but out of the world where so many people assume they know him because they know this one aspect or have seen him completely only through the eyes of the justice system or the court of public opinion, " said Ryan. "I got to know him on a more. It it feels like an intimate level. Honestly, it felt light because it was such a gift. It just felt so affirming the whole time of… in a way I got the gift to hopefully introduce people to this guy."
Two-time Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz plays Conrad's father, and says the series is a reminder to look at all sides of the story.
"We hear a story about real human beings, real loss," said Butz. "People make some shallow value judgment on the people involved. And then you move on. And this show says wait a minute, you know, this is really complicated. These are real people -- the judgment and this stigmatizing that we have of parents of mentally ill teenagers and of mentally ill teenagers themselves."
Bronx native Cara Buono (Stranger Things) plays Michelle Carter's mother Gail.
"Interestingly, my character, Gail Carter, she didn't give any interviews," said Buono." "And in the article in the documentary, there's very little. There are just some images we see of her. So we pretty much created the idea of who we think she would have been and how perhaps her relationship would have affected Michelle, how I approached it was as a mom."
Carter was released in 2020 from the Bristol County House of Correction in Dartmouth, Massachusetts after serving less than 10 months of her 15-month sentence.
"You do your best you, you will do anything for your child. She (Gail Carter) tried to get her (Michelle Carter) help for her eating disorders and for everything she was going through. And I think just trying to trying to find the real humanity to her," said Buono.