Academy Award hostElizabeth Olsenis starring in an all-new, all-different nostalgic suburban drama about Candy Montgomery, a real-life Southern church lady accused of murdering her neighbor with an axe. Set to debut on HBO Max on Apr. 27, the streamer released a brand-new poster and promotional images for the limited seriesLove & Deathon the morning of Mar. 10.
The limited series is inspired by the true-crime bookEvidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbsby John Bloom and Jim Atkinson and a collection ofTexas Monthlyarticles titled “Love & Death in Silicon Prairie” Part I & II. The book adaptation for HBO, written by David E. Kelley and directed by Lesli Linka Glatter, tells the true story of Candy (Olsen) and Pat Montgomery (Patrick Fugit) and Betty (Lily Rabe) and Allan Gore (Jesse Plemons) – two churchgoing couples enjoying their smalltown Texas life until an extramarital affair leads somebody to pick up an axe.
Olsen is set to lead the limited series as Candy, an unhappy Southern church wife living with her husband in Wylie, Texas, in the late 1970s. The couple regularly attended the local church’s events, where Candy proceeded to befriend a middle school teacher, Allan Gore. At the trial for the murder of Allan’s wife, Betty, Candy claimed that she acted in self-defense after being attacked by Betty following a confrontation about Montgomery’s affair with her husband. Candy also took a polygraph test (which isn’t known for its accuracy) before the trial, indicating she was being truthful.
Related:Candy vs. Love and Death: How Do the Two Miniseries Differ?
HBO Max Love & Death First Look Images
A few official images fromLove & Deathcan be found below.
In addition to the actors cast as the main players, the Gores and Montgomerys, in this true crime limited series, in September 2021, it was announced that Krysten Ritter had joined the cast as Sherry Cleckler, who in real life was not only Candy’s business partner — they’d recentlyestablished a decorating companycalled The Cover Girls — but also her best friend. On Feb. 14, HBO released first-look images of some cast in their respective roles (see above), including Ritter as Cleckler.
Cast also includes Keir Gilchrist as Pastor Ron Adams, Elizabeth Marvel as Pastor Jackie Ponder, and Tom Pelphrey as Don Crowder.
The Max Original is co-produced by Lionsgate, with series writer David E. Kelley (through David E. Kelley Productions) listed as executive producer alongside Nicole Kidman and Per Saari through Blossom Films, Lesli Linka Glatter (who directs the first four and final episodes), Scott Brown and Megan Creydt through Texas Monthly, Matthew Tinker, Michael Klick, and Helen Verno.
Watch theLove & Deathofficial teaserbelow:
The seven-episode Max Original limited seriesLove & Deathdebuts with three episodes on Thursday, Apr. 27, followed by one episode weekly through May 25.
