Colin Firth Plays Quite a Controversial Role in HBO series 'The Staircase'
‘The Devil All the Time’ director Antonio Campos began developing a scripted adaptation of the true crime docuseries ‘The Staircase’ in 2008.
And now, twelve years later, we will be able to see the result of his work – the eight episodes mini-series of the same name.
The 2008’s documentary series tells the story of Michael Peterson, an American novelist who in 2003 was convicted of murdering his wife, Kathleen Peterson, in 2001. In 2017 Peterson was freed after the judge ruled a critical prosecution witness gave misleading testimony. In 2019, Peterson released his own account of his life since his wife's death in an independently published memoir, ‘Behind the Staircase’.
In Campos’ passion project the role of Michael Peterson was given to Colin Firth, though originally Peterson was to be played by Harrison Ford. The first three episodes of ‘The Staircase’ will be available on HBO on May 5.
“This has been a project I have been working on in one way or another since 2008. It's been a long and winding road, but well worth the wait to be able to find partners like HBO Max and the incredible Colin Firth to dramatize such a complex true-life story”, says Antonio Campos.
Apart from Firth, 'The Staircase’ boasts quite an impressive cast. Toni Collette plays Kathleen, Juliette Binoche – Sophie Brunet, the editor of ‘The Staircase’ documentary who later had a romantic relationship with Peterson, Patrick Schwarzenegger – Peterson's son. The supporting roles are played by Dane DeHaan, Sophie Turner, Odessa Young, Parker Posey, Olivia DeJonge, Rosemarie DeWitt, Tim Guinee and Vincent Vermignon.