James Wolk to Play Annaleigh Ashford’s Husband in Evil EPs’ Serial-Killer Drama Happy Face
James Wolk has been tapped to romance Annaleigh Ashford in the upcoming Paramount+ drama Happy Face, our sister site Deadline reports. But don’t let that cheery title fool you.
The series is based on the true story of Melissa Moore (Ashford), who was 15 when she learned her father (Dennis Quaid) was a murderer known as “Happy Face.” Moore chronicled her story in the autobiography Shattered Silence and iHeartPodcasts’ Happy Face podcast.
Moore, now an adult, changed her name; her father is serving life in prison for his crimes. In the new series, per Happy Face‘s official release, “Melissa’s father contacts her to take credit for another victim, pulling her into an extraordinary investigation of her father and his crimes. As she discovers the impact her father had on his victims’ families, she must face a reckoning of her own identity.”
Wolk plays Melissa’s bank manager husband, who thinks they’ve left the trauma of her past behind them — that is, until that past comes knocking on their door, and he grows concerned that his wife is being manipulated all over again.
Happy Face‘s first season will consist of eight episodes and will begin filming this year; it’s slated to premiere on the streaming service in 2025. Jennifer Cacicio (Shooter, Your Honor) will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Other EPs include Robert and Michelle King (Evil, The Good Wife, The Good Fight), Michael Showalter (The Dropout, Spoiler Alert) and Liz Glotzer (Evil); Showalter also will direct the series’ pilot.
Will you check out Happy Face? Hit the comments and let us know!
This is something where it seems like a great idea, but that the execution will be very difficult.
Yes. I would be concerned about that, except that it’s in truly excellent hands.
I’m thinking the same thing and wondering whether this will be a straight drama or slightly more like a drama-dy
She is AMAZING in Sweeney Todd.
Still miss B positive. Great actor, Will definitely watch this.
I miss B Positive. While I wasn’t a fan of the opening song and dance routine, I enjoyed the show. It was funny and the characters were interesting.
The second season was much worse than the first season.
So is this new murder and her becoming entangled in its investigation also based on real events, or like a fictional sequel to Moore’s life?
I will watch because I like her. This is the same plot as Prodigal Sun which we loved and got cancelled
Analeigh is a great actress. I’ll be watching.
So happy for James Wolk. He’s a great actor with a lot versatility.
I like this actor but he’s the cancellation king
He picks great tv projects, they just don’t end up catching on. I’m still mad about Lone Star, and that was 15 years ago!
She’s got a weird type casting of playing the wife of killers.
Chippendale , Sweeny Todd and now this?