True crime has lengthy captivated audiences, however not often has it been informed by way of the eyes of these left to take care of the implications.
Blissful Face, the brand new Paramount+ collection, breaks the mildew by shifting the main target from the killer to his household — most notably, his daughter, Melissa Moore. The collection dramatizes Melissa’s battle to reclaim her id from the shadow of her father, serial killer Keith Jesperson, performed by Dennis Quaid.
That includes a stellar forged and guided by Melissa herself, Blissful Face gives a deeply private and unprecedented take a look at the far-reaching influence of violent crime.
A Totally different Sort of True Crime Story
Annaleigh Ashford, who portrays Melissa, was drawn to the undertaking due to its distinctive perspective. “Once I obtained the script, I used to be completely overwhelmed by the interior battle she skilled earlier than she outed herself as being Keith Jesperson’s daughter,” she shared.
Blissful Face avoids the sensationalism typically seen in true crime by inserting Melissa and the victims’ households on the heart. “We don’t re-victimize the households,” Ashford defined. “There aren’t any acts of violence in opposition to ladies proven. You’re feeling it, however you don’t see it. That was actually vital to us.”
That distinction was essential to Moore, who has spent years advocating for households affected by violent crime. “I hope viewers members who’ve a member of the family that’s a perpetrator, or have been affected by crime in any method, really feel seen of their expertise,” she mentioned.
“There’s a way of accountability in how I inform my story as a result of inadvertently, once I do, my father will get consideration. That may be actually troublesome for the victims’ households.”
A Killer Who Nonetheless Looms Giant
Dennis Quaid initially hesitated to tackle the position of Keith Jesperson. “I had little interest in simply enjoying a serial killer,” he admitted. “I don’t need something to do with these guys. However once I realized I wasn’t actually enjoying Keith — I used to be enjoying Melissa’s model of Keith — that modified the whole lot.”
In contrast to many true crime portrayals that dive into the psychology of the killer, Blissful Face solely exhibits Keith when needed.
“All the pieces within the story is from Melissa’s perspective,” mentioned collection showrunner Jennifer Cacicio. “We didn’t wish to glorify him, however he nonetheless looms massive. Even when he’s not there, his presence is felt.”
For Quaid, the actual draw was exploring the difficult father-daughter dynamic. “Melissa needed to ask herself, ‘Who am I? What does this make me?’ And the disgrace of that simply upends the whole lot you ever believed in. She’s a hero in my e-book.”
The Weight of a Legacy
James Wolk, who performs Melissa’s husband, Ben, discovered himself moving into a job that balanced love and concern. “Ben is a protector,” he mentioned.
“After which I began listening to the podcast and listening to how heinous Keith’s acts have been. That alone made me really feel the load of it. It modified how I carried myself on set — as a result of, as Ben, I needed to guard my household in any respect prices.”
As Melissa’s kids, Hazel and Max, Khiyla Aynne and Benjamin Mackey had their very own challenges. Aynne, who performs Hazel, acknowledged the emotional depth of her position.
“The true-life Hazel reached out to me and informed me she appreciated how I portrayed her. That meant rather a lot,” she shared. The younger actors stored issues mild between takes, tossing a soccer with Wolk and enjoying UNO collectively.
The Ethics of True Crime
Tamera Tomakili, who performs Ivy, the producer of the fictional Dr. Greg present, wasn’t a real crime fan earlier than taking up the position.
“Having the ability to step into this was me type of overcoming my very own fears and discomfort with the fabric,” she admitted. “However I really like that this present is centered on the victims and their households. It felt actual, communal. It related to the individuals who really must reside previous or by way of these crimes.”
That intentional shift from glorification to accountability is what makes Blissful Face groundbreaking.
“Folks love true crime as a result of it’s so out of their very own realm,” Quaid famous. “You ask your self, ‘How can a human being do that to a different human being?’ However this collection isn’t about Keith. It’s concerning the individuals he left in his wake.”
A Story That Retains Unfolding
“Melissa’s story continues to unfold, and she or he’s labored with so many others like her,” Cacicio mentioned. “There are a number of completely different roads we may go down.”
If Blissful Face proves something, it’s that crime doesn’t simply finish with an arrest. It leaves ripples. And for many who survive, the story is barely simply starting.
Blissful Face drops on Paramount+ on Thursday, March 20. To accompany the discharge, we’ll have recaps of the primary two episodes and a evaluate at 9/8c a.m.
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