Winslet, who’s also executive producing for the first time in her storied career, plays Mare Sheehan, a detective living in the titular Pennsylvania town who’s tasked with investigating a local murder under trying personal circumstances. HBO’s official synopsis dubs “Mare of Easttown,” “an exploration into the dark side of a close community and an authentic examination of how family and past tragedies can define our present.” All seven episodes of “Mare of Easttown” will be directed by Craig Zobel, who you might remember as director of the “Most Dangerous Game”-esque feature film, “The Hunt,” as well as several key episodes of “The Leftovers.” It’s also being penned by screenwriter Brad Inglesby of “The Way Back” and, interestingly, the director of that feature, Gavin O’Connor, is set as executive producer of “Mare.”
The series marks a reunion on multiple fronts. Winslet’s first TV role in a decade brings her back to HBO, after 2011’s award-winning limited series “Mildred Pierce.” Winslet won an Emmy and her third Golden Globe for Todd Haynes’ magnificent adaptation, which won four more Emmy Awards. One of those went to co-star Guy Pearce, who joins Winslet again for “Mare of Easttown,” playing Richard Ryan, a local creative writing professor. At the CTAM Winter 2021 Press Tour panel on “Mare of Easttown,” Winslet said perfecting the distinctive Delaware County accent was challenging. “It was up there with the hardest accents I’ve ever done, in the top three for sure,” Winslet said. “It’s one of only two dialects in my life that made me throw things — that and the dialogue that they made me do in the movie about Steve Jobs.” Winslet also said she spent several months working with local Pennsylvania police departments, including those in the real county of Easttown, PA, just outside of Philadelphia. “We wanted to capture what it really means to be a detective in that town,” she said. “If anything felt fake or phony, we’d ask [the consultants] to tell us.” Still, Winslet said she couldn’t cut it as a real-life investigator. “I’d be a fucking lousy detective,” she said. “I’d be very good at the coffee and the after [work] beers. […] But I don’t think I have the mental stamina that is required.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=pwaLLEZO6FM&feature=youtu.be “Mare of Easttown” premieres on HBO April 18. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
