True crime series are everywhere these days, so it can be easy to overlook new shows. The Paramount+ series Happy Face takes a unique approach to telling the true story of a serial killer and his daughter, who becomes an investigator in her own right. Using the books and podcast by Melissa G. Moore, Happy Face takes us through her journey from being victimized by her father’s crimes to becoming an advocate for those like her.
Happy Face is an incarcerated serial killer who is also Melissa Reed’s (Annaleigh Ashford) once-beloved father. After decades of no contact, Keith (Dennis Quaid) finds a way to force himself back into his daughter’s life. In a race against the clock, Melissa must find out if an innocent man is going to be put to death for a crime her father committed. Throughout, she discovers the impact her father had on his victims’ families and must face a reckoning of her own identity.
I talked with the creative team and cast of Happy Face about the new series. Showrunner Jennifer Cacicio talked about the challenges of balancing dramatization with the true stories of the titular killer. Melissa G. Moore talked about the risks of popularizing serial killers and how she felt seeing her story told on screen. Dennis Quaid discussed his hesitation in playing such an evil character and how he approached it while Annaleigh Ashford talked about her approach to inhabiting Melissa. James Wolk reflected on channeling his Mad Men co-star Jon Hamm while Tamera Tomakili explored what being a true crime producer felt like. Teen actor Khiyla Aynne talked about playing the granddaughter of a serial killer, while nine-year-old Benjamin Mackey talked about the support he had on set. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.
Happy Face is now streaming on Paramount+.
