Toni Collette is set to star in HBO Max’s new limited series The Staircase. The eight-episode show will retell the 2001 crime case of Michael Peterson, who was accused of murdering his wife Kathleen. Peterson told authorities that she passed away after falling down their winding staircase, but police suspected foul play. HBO greenlit the new project after the case gained attention as a 2004 docuseries, which was catapulted into a mega hit when Netflix added three new episodes and streamed the whole series in 2018.
Variety confirmed that Collette has signed on to play Kathleen opposite Oscar-winner Colin Firth. The Australian actress is no stranger to dark subject matters, having risen to popularity in the horror genre with her turn in Hereditary. She’s racked up Emmy and Golden Globe wins, in addition to an Oscar nomination during her illustrious career. Collette is also set to next star in Netflix’s upcoming drama, Pieces of Her.
The Staircase boasts power behind-the-scenes as well, with Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn serving as writers and executive producers on the upcoming series. Both bring an eery gravitas to the project, with Campos previously cutting his teeth on The Sinner and Cohn writing and producing on American Crime Story. Harrison Ford is also rumored to be a producer on the series, though it hasn’t been confirmed.
The Peterson case has already built a large cult following in the true crime world, teeing up The Staircase to be a smash on the streaming service. In addition to the docuseries, production also has Michael Peterson’s two books to draw from: Behind the Staircase, and Beyond the Staircase. They will need as much background information as possible if they plan on depicting flashbacks with Kathleen. And based on the fact that they’ve enlisted powerhouse Collette to play her, Kathleen is likely going to have a leading role.
Source: Variety
Originally from https://screenrant.com/staircase-series-toni-collette-cast-hbo-max/