Hulu Unveils Cast for Thrilling True-Crime Series Based on the Murdaugh Murders and Financial Scandal

The widely covered Alex Murdaugh case in rural South Carolina has inspired many documentaries, podcasts, books, and even a couple of movies, with the true crime entertainment trend showing no signs of waning.

In the past autumn, major entertainment publications announced that the streaming platform Hulu was planning to produce an exclusive, restricted-series drama based on the Murdaugh family’s murder cases and financial fraud story, which took place in South Carolina's coastal lowlands.

The still unnamed series will delve into the extraordinary family saga of Maggie and Alex Murdaugh, according to a statement from the streaming service. This compelling narrative is set to be revealed to the 53.6 million paying members of Hulu within the U.S.

Begin your day with more knowledge. Receive all the essential news directly in your mailbox every morning.

Even though this brutally honest international crime drama will reach a nationwide viewership, for those living in Hampton County and the nearby areas within the 14th Judicial Circuit, this remains an intensely personal narrative brimming with both the misfortunes and victories of community members.

The Murdaugh crime drama keeps unfolding in Hampton County.

Richard Alexander "Alex" Murdaugh was a lawyer by profession. a clan of lawyers, a judicial lineage In South Carolina's 14th Judicial Circuit, they dominated criminal courts as seasoned prosecutors for over a century while also managing a personal injury law firm. This changed when their son became embroiled in an incident. prominent, deadly boating accident In February 2019, this ultimately resulted in the discovery of Murdaugh's years-long wave of financial criminal activities and the June 2021 shooting deaths about his spouse, Maggie, and their young son, Paul.

Disbarred, shamed, and found guilty of fraud and murder, Murdaugh is currently incarcerated under numerous prison terms across different state and federal facilities. His case became a sensation among true-crime enthusiasts who followed the proceedings on platforms like Court TV, Dateline NBC, Netflix, and others.

Hampton County has been dubbed "Murdaugh Country" by numerous content creators, a label that few residents here welcome or like, but this criminal narrative persists in defining our community to the rest of the world.

Hulu’s newest TV series features well-known national actors playing roles based on actual residents of Hampton County, including both deceased and currently alive individuals. The show covers various characters such as members of the Murdaugh family along with Gloria Satterfield, a long-time associate and worker for them. It also highlights the story of Mallory Beach, who tragically passed away in a boating accident in 2019, alongside others who survived this incident. Additionally, it portrays Mark Tinsley, an ongoing legal representative for the Beach family from Allendale County.

Who'll portray whom? Updates surfacing about Hulu's Murdaugh project

In recent months, entertainment news outlets like Deadline and Variety have revealed information about the forthcoming project.

Variety provided an official synopsis for the series:

“On the surface, Alex Murdaugh (Clarke) seems to have it all: wealth, status, and unchecked privilege in rural Hampton County, South Carolina where four generations of Murdaughs have built a sprawling legal dynasty. But when a deadly accident shines a harsh spotlight on Alex, his wife Maggie (Arquette), and their sons Buster and Paul, the almighty Murdaugh facade begins to crumble leading Alex to take increasingly desperate measures to preserve the family name and protect his own dark secrets.”

The limited series is the creation of Michael D. Fuller, who co-created the project with Erin Lee Carr, and is based on the reporting of Mandy Matney, journalist and creator of the popular Murdaugh Murders Podcast.

Nick Antosca, Alex Hedlund, and Mandy Matney are the executive producers. UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, is the studio.

This spring Hulu slowly unveiled the cast of actors that will portray the real-life characters of the tragic Murdaugh crime saga. To date this list, courtesy of Deadline, includes:

• Jason Clarke (famous for his performances in "Brotherhood," "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," and "Oppenheimer") will play the role of Alex Murdaugh.
• Patricia Arquette ("A Nightmare on Elm Street," "True Romance," "Medium"), who plays as Maggie Murdaugh.
• J. Smith-Cameron ("Rectify," "Succession") - Marian Proctor (sister of Maggie)
• Johnny Berchtold ("Gaslit," "The Passenger," "Dog Gone") - Paul Murdaugh
• Will Harrison ("Daisy Jones & The Six," "Manhunt") – Richard Alexander Jr., also known as Buster Murdaugh, the surviving son.
• Brittany Snow ("Pitch Perfect," "Hairspray") - Mandy Matney
• Mallory Beach ("The Christmas High Note") – Madeline Popovich
• Jessi Case ("9-1-1: Lone Star," "Quantum Leap," "CSI: Vegas") - Morgan Doughty, who survived a boating accident
• Jim O’Heir ("Parks & Recreation," "The Bold and the Beautiful") – Richard Harpootlian, the lawyer representing Alex Murdaugh
• Mark Pellegrino ("Dexter," "Lost") – Curtis Edward “Cousin Eddie” Smith, reportedly an associate of the Murdaughs accused in the case.
• Nicholas Cirillo ("Black Mirror," "Outer Banks") - Connor Cook, a survivor of the boating accident
• Patch Darragh ("Long Bright River," "Succession") – John Marvin Murdaugh, who is Alex’s younger sibling
• Ryan Paynter (" Stranger Things, " " Dopesick ") – Anthony Cook, Mallory’s boyfriend and a survivor of the boating accident
• Noah Emmerich ("The Big Cigar," "Suspicion"), known for his roles, portrays Randy Murdaugh, who is Alex's elder sibling and also their legal associate.
• Kathleen Wilhoite ("Yellowstone," "ER," "The Gilmore Girls") – Gloria Satterfield, an employee of the Murdaugh family
• Mark Tinsley, who plays Tommy Dewey known for roles like "Casual" and "Saturday Night," serves as the beach family lawyer.

In December, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution stated that the series would be filmed at Doraville’s Assembly Studios in Atlanta, and reports now indicate that production has started.

A release date hasn’t been disclosed yet.

What is Mark Tinsley's perspective on the Hulu project from an insider’s point of view?

After the tragic loss of Mallory Beach in the Murdaugh boating accident, Allendale lawyer Mark Tinsley took up the case representing the Beach family in a wrongful death lawsuit that ultimately secured a $15 million insurance payout For the bereaved local family, approximately $3 million additional funds are intended for the survivors of the boating accident.

The deadly accident, along with Tinsley's legal action, served as the trigger that ultimately exposed Alex Murdaugh's extensive criminal activities over ten years. Prosecutors claim this series of events pushed him to commit the murders of his wife and son.

“When I consented to represent the family, I was completely unaware of all the twists and turns we were about to face,” Tinsley stated to The Hampton County Guardian. “The events that unfolded remain unbelievable to me even now, despite knowing their truth. All I truly understood at the time was that the Beach family required my assistance, and I genuinely felt that I could support them during this terrible ordeal.”

Tinsley said that he hasn't given much thought to seeing himself portrayed in a national television series, but his mother seems to be a bit more excited about it, however, adding "It’s a big sprawling story and I just hope they get it right."

Tinsley added that he has been contacted by the show's writers and interviewed several times for the making of the show.

I was scheduled to meet the actor who plays Alex, but we didn't manage to get in touch, and they began shooting," Tinsley mentioned. "He looks strikingly similar; it’s quite eerie.

The Allendale attorney says he primarily represents victims, who have all touched him in some way, but representing the Beach family, along with other life challenges, has changed his life.

"In 2020, I learned that I had Stage 4 prostrate cancer," Tinsley said. "It, along with representing the Beach family, was a life altering experience for me. It made me want to be a better person. Live a better life. A life in which I try to make a difference for people who need it and hopefully make the world a better place. My cancer is gone for now, and I hope it stays that way, but I haven’t forgotten that feeling and realization that I only have one life to live so I’d better make the most of it."

What's next for Mark Tinsley, other local characters?

Even as content creators continue to tell the story, Tinsley and his legal team continue to represent the Beach family in a personal injury lawsuit that spawned from the wrongful death lawsuit, a case against Gregory Parker And various other groups scheduled for the trial in Hampton County set to take place next spring.

Tinsley is gearing up to take on cases in the fall of 2025 for multiple victims of Murdaugh’s financial crimes. These will be civil lawsuits against Murdaugh, as well as Palmetto State Bank. convicted accomplice of Murdaugh, Russell Laffitte.

He expresses that he continues to be dedicated to curbing the illicit sale of alcohol to underage individuals, an issue that contributed to the tragic boating accident in 2019.

At present, my focus is on preventing the unlawful sale of alcohol to minors," Tinsley said. "I think retailers intentionally sell alcohol to underage individuals who buy counterfeit IDs online. I don’t consider it being deceived; rather, they deliberately ignore the usage of such fraudulent identification.

I am optimistic that bringing attention to this sector will compel changes and necessitate the implementation of technology to curb such transactions. The required tech is both accessible and affordable; however, merchants avoid using it since they aim for a piece of the $20 billion annual pie from illicit activities. My objective is to put an end to this. Recently, South Carolina ranked as the fifth worst state nationally, with approximately two individuals dying each week due to underage alcohol consumption. It’s also something I wish to halt.

As the Murdaugh-associated legal proceedings remain ongoing, the Beach family is also engaged with a nonprofit organization referred to as Mal's Palz, which aims to gather funds For an improved animal shelter in Hampton County.

The relatives of the deceased Gloria Satterfield, whose passing following a tumble at the Murdaugh's Moselle residence ultimately resulted in a criminal probe into Murdaugh’s insurance scams, continue to be engaged through their nonprofit organization. The Gloria's Gift Foundation, which provides Christmas presents for needy area children.

Murdaugh accomplice Laffitte has recently admitted guilt to federal accusations. for his part in the crime epic.

Alex Murdaugh, who is incarcerated for both fraud charges and two consecutive terms for murdering his family members, has admitted guilt regarding his financial offenses but continues to deny involvement in their deaths. The South Carolina Supreme Court is anticipated to review his appeals concerning the murder verdicts because of persistent claims of juror manipulation and other purported irregularities in legal proceedings.

Thus, the Murdaugh criminal story persists, both in reality and on television screens.

The article initially appeared on Greenville News: A crime series about Alex Murdaugh's killings and financial fraud is set to air on Hulu with the casting announced; roles have been filled.