The first three episodes of the brand-new series re-imagining the 1987 classic thriller film Fatal Attraction premieres April 30th on Paramount+ and begins in the present day after Daniel Gallagher (Joshua Jackson) serves 15 years in prison for the murder of Alexandra Forrest (Lizzy Caplan). While the plot follows Gallagher in the goals of reconnecting with his family and proving his innocence, creator, writer, and showrunner Alexandra Cunningham focuses more on the woman’s perspective, while also enlisting director Silver Tree.
The series also stars Amanda Peet as wife Beth Gallagher and Alyssa Jirrels as daughter Ellen Gallagher. Both sat down for an exclusive interview with MovieWeb.
Amanda Peet and Alyssa Jirrels Talk Fatal Attraction 2023
MW: What initially went through your mind when you were asked to partake in a re-imagining of a classic thriller? Amanda, I’d like to start with you.
Amanda Peet: Well, I know Alexandra Cunningham, the writer/creator, so I knew that it was gonna take into account the Glenn Close character’s perspective, Alex Forrest, because I feel like that’s Alexandra’s forte, sort of like looking at why people snap and why apparently seemingly normal people get involved in some kind of toxic, violent, situation.
Peet: So I knew that she was gonna try to dig into the psychology a little bit more cuz obviously in the movie you only have a certain amount of time and since it was 1987 it was all really from Dan’s point of view. You leave thinking that Glenn Close’s character is kind of more the villain, and she’s reduced to that. And I think that probably bothered Alexandra, as well it should. I think it bothered Glenn Close too.
MW: Yeah, we have the lady’s perspective. What about you, Alyssa?
Alyssa Jirrels: I was just initially very drawn to the character of Ellen. I thought she was incredibly complex. I hadn’t seen the original movie when I got the audition and when I’d first read the script.
Peet: She wasn’t born yet.
Jirrels: I wasn’t born yet. I hadn’t seen it, and I wasn’t born. I thought she was just very, very interesting — different than what I had read before and seemingly just very direct and intellectual, which made me think that there was something else going on because of how much she was dealing with. That was initially very interesting for me. I know there’s not a lot of young women who are written with that much nuance. And then also the fact that it was a female director and a female showrunner and writer was really exciting, and I knew that given what the original movie had been, that perspective would be really interesting. I’m also very interested in psychology and that’s a huge part of the show. So that was really exciting too.
Peet and Jirrels Share How the Poop Gets Made
MW: It was a perfect role for you. What was the most joyful part of working with each other, especially when it came to the mother-daughter dynamic?
Peet: The poop.
Jirrels: The poop. We gotta tell you about it.
MW: Yes, please.
Peet: Was that our first scene?
Jirrels: That was our very first scene we ever shot together.
Peet: Was the poop?
Jirrels: Was the poop. There was —
Peet: We learned that Cody uses — does everybody use?
Jirrels: I don’t know, but we had a scene…
Peet: What’s it called? What are the bars called?
Jirrels: A Clif bar. We were walking a dog in this first scene and there’s —
Peet: Poop
Jirrels: Poop that we’re picking up, over and over and over again.
Peet: And Cody kept having to make it into the exact right shape, from a Clif bar.
Jirrels: And they made it from a mint chip Clif bar, and he would [gestures with hands] right into a little log [laughs]
Peet: She [Nicki from MovieWeb] was probably expecting a deeper answer…
MW: I love this too, though. I mean, we want all the tea ladies — give us all the tea.
Peet and Jirrels: [looks at each other] The tea, the tea!
Jirrels: I just taught her this phrase!
Peet: I just learned this phrase!
Jirrels: So it’s amazing that you said this. This is perfect.
Peet: I hope my daughters see this.
Jirrels: That’s where you go, [snapping] ‘What’s the tea? What’s the tea?’
Peet: [snapping] What’s the tea? What’s the tea?
MW: Your daughter’s gonna be so proud. Like mom knows the word — Alyssa wasn’t born yet, but mom’s catching up with this generation too, so I love that.
The Fatal Attraction Stars Describe Each Other
MW: If you could describe your co-star in three words, what would they be?
Jirrels: Whoa.
Peet: Brilliant. Ingenué. Emerging.
Jirrels: Wow. Wow. Ahhhhhh…
Peet: [laughs] That really left you in a bad place! Sorry, honey!
Jirrels: No, no! There’s just so many. You’re —
Peet: Old.
Jirrels: Present.
Peet: Dying.
Jirrels: Authentic.
Peet: All the way down, avalanche.
Jirrels: [laughs] Present…
Peet: Fading out
Jirrels: Authentic…
Peet: Sizzling out. Dumb-dumb…
Jirrels: Captivating — dumb-dumb?! [laughs]
Amanda Peet and Alyssa Jirrels Share Same Fatal Attraction
MW: What’s one thing you’re fatally attracted to?
Peet: Shopping!
Jirrels: God, me too!
Peet: Shopping.
Jirrels: God, me too. Online shopping. Do you shop online?
Peet: Yes. Fill the bag, then empty it. Then, fill it.
Jirrels: Oh my God.
Peet: Then go to a different place and fill that one, and then fill, and it’s like nothing fills the hole.
Jirrels: Nothing. That’s been it for me for a long — that will never go away, I think. Same.
MW: I’m so excited for audiences to catch Fatal Attraction on Paramount+. It was such a pleasure to talk to you both and thank you for spilling the tea.
Jirrels and Peet: Thank you, Nicki. The tea! (snapping)
The Fatal Attraction series streams on Paramount+ April 30th.
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