Amazon’s Prime Video has just ordered the series adaptation ofMichelle Frances’ psychological thriller novelThe Girlfriend.Robin Wright(House of Cards)will not only be helming the series but will also star in the upcoming show! The rest of the cast members announced so far includeOlivia Cooke(House of The Dragon),Laurie Davidson(Mary and George),andWaleed Zuaiter(Gangs of London)in titular roles.
The official description of the series states: “Laura (Wright) wants for nothing. She has a glittering career, a loving husband, Howard (Zuaiter), and, above all, she has Daniel (Davidson), her precious only son. But Laura’s seemingly perfect life is blown apart when Daniel brings home Cherry (Cooke), the girlfriend who changes everything.”
So while it’s not yet clear if the show will religiously follow its source material, fans of the novel know that the story follows Laura as she becomes obsessed with finding out the truth about Cherry’s identity. While no one around her sees it, Laura is convinced that Cherry isn’t who she says she is. Things will go from bad to deadly, but the audiences will circle around two questions — is Cherry a manipulative social climber? Or is Laura just paranoid and possessive? “The truth is a matter of perspective,” the description of the show adds.
Needless to say, we’ve got Wright in another show (the other one beingHouse of Cards), withanother intense obsession! The show will be written byGabbie Asher(Dogma)andNaomi Sheldon(Good Girl). However, two of the episodes will be penned down byMarek Horn,Ava Wong Davies, Isis Davis,andHelen Kingston. In addition to starring in and directing the show, Wright will also take on the role of executive producer alongside Asher. The series is set to be produced by Imaginarium Productions and Amazon MGM Studios and will premiere exclusively onPrime Videoin more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
‘The Girlfriend’ Isn’t The First Time Wright’s Taking The Director’s Seat
Wright has previously directed several episodes of Netflix’sHouse of Cardsas well! She made her directorial debut in Season 2 of the show and continued to direct in its sixth and final season (despite the show losing its heat amid theKevin Spaceycontroversy). The Emmy-nominated actress has also directed episodes of hit shows such asTell Me LiesandOzark. Speaking about her latest directorial venture, Wright couldn’t help but express her excitement in the following words:“I’m thrilled to be directing and acting in this wildly delicious psychological thriller filled with plot twists and surprising character turns, and to be working with such talented actors, Olivia and Laurie, and an overall amazing cast & crew…so excited!”
Vernon Sanders,head of television for Amazon MGM Studioshas also spilled the beans onThe Girlfriend, revealing that the show will be a suspenseful family drama about the collapse of a mother and son’s bond. The series will touch themes of love, greed, and power, and in the words of Frances, the author of the novel, Wright is the perfect Laura to bring the story ofThe Girlfriendto the screen.
There’s no information about the rest of the cast members and exact release date forThe Girlfriendas of yet.Stay tuned to Collider for more updates!