The true-crime drama is experiencing a moment of peak popularity, with many streamers and networks rushing to cast top-notch talent in key roles. Hulu’s Candy is one such series, and its use of Jessica Biel is especially remarkable, as she seems to inhibit the body, and troubled mind, of Candy Montgomery, a woman accused of murdering her neighbor with an axe.
However, Biel isn’t the only exemplary member of the cast. Indeed, she is joined by many other talented actors, all of whom have shown remarkable skill in a wide variety of roles in both movies and TV.
Jessica Biel - 7th Heaven (1996-2007)
Stream On Hulu
Like the other members of the series’ cast, Jessica Biel has had a long and successful career in both TV and movies. Arguably her most successful, and iconic role, was in the series 7th Heaven, in which she played the character of Mary Camden.
Biel brought a remarkable depth to her character, allowing audiences to see her many struggles, as she became something of the black sheep of the family. She ultimately became someone the audience could cheer for and empathize with, even if her actions and choices weren’t always the best.
Melanie Lynskey - Heavenly Creatures (1994)
Stream On Amazon Prime Video
As with the best true-crime series, Candy works because it manages to give the side characters richness and depth, and that includes Betty Gore, the murder victim, who is played by Melanie Lynskey. She is familiar to viewers for a wide variety of roles, but one of her most notable was in Heavenly Creatures, one of Peter Jackson's best films.
She plays Pauline, a young woman who murders her mother with her lover. Far more than a villain, Lynskey captures a young woman tormented by her own desires and desperate to take her frustrations out on what she views as their source.
Pablo Schrieber - The Wire (2002-2008)
Stream On HBO Max
The Wire is widely regarded as one of the best HBO shows, and with good reason. With its unflinching look at life in the city of Baltimore, the series featured a number of compelling characters, one of whom was Nick Sobotka.
Like many of the other characters in the series, Sobotka is a man of many layers, and his compelling presence is due in large measure to Schreiber’s skills as an actor, and he brings out the many conflicts within this individual. In Candy, he portrays Allan Gore, the husband of the murder victim.
Timothy Simmons - Veep (2012-2019)
Stream On HBO Max
Veep is arguably one of the best HBO comedies, and it succeeds in large measure thanks to the uniform strength of its cast. Timothy Simmons is familiar to viewers for portraying the character of Jonah, the obnoxious member of the President’s staff who desperately yearns for more power than he truly deserves.
Simmons renders Jonah someone the audience vehemently dislikes but who also manages to be very funny, particularly when he gives in to his barely-controlled rage. He appears in Candy as the character Pat Montgomery.
Raul Esparza - Law & Order: SVU (2012-2018; 2020-2021)
Stream On Hulu
Like the other members of the cast, Raul Esparza has had a varied career, working in movies, TV, and theater. For many, however, he is very recognizable for his long-running role on Law & Order: SVU, in which he plays the character of ADA Barba.
In Esparza’s capable hands, Barba becomes a man committed to the pursuit of justice, even if he is sometimes willing to flirt with breaking the very rules he’s supposed to follow. He brings his considerable charms to the character of Don Crowder in Candy.
Jessica Mueller - Patsy & Loretta (2019)
Stream On Netflix
Jessie Mueller, who plays the character of Sherry Cleckler in Candy, has largely been known for her appearances in a number of theatrical productions. However, she is also notable for appearing in some television projects, particularly in the well-received musical biopic Patsy and Loretta.
In that movie, Mueller plays Loretta Lynn, and she manages to bring out the innocence of a young woman unexpectedly thrust into the limelight when she becomes a famous country music star. Just as importantly, she also conveys how important her friendship with Patsy Cline was to her, both personally and professionally.
Adam Bartley - Longmire (2012-2017)
Stream On Netflix
Longmire is an extraordinary television series for a number of reasons, but especially so because of its skill in weaving together the western and procedural genres. It is also full of compelling characters, one of whom is Archie Ferguson.
Bartley brings out the subtle shadings of this character, someone who is a bit of an underdog compared to those around him but who nevertheless has a set of skills and knowledge which prove key to solving cases. He plays the character of Richard in Candy.
Justin Timberlake - Trolls (2016)
Stream On Prime Video
Though he is most famous for his enormous success as a singer, Justin Timberlake has repeatedly shown that he is also very skilled as an actor, both in live-action and animation.
He brought his considerable vocal talents to his role in the movie Trolls, in which he plays the character of Branch, a Troll who can be a bit stand-offish but who still has a good heart. Timberlake demonstrates his versatility in Candy, in which he portrays the character of Deputy Steve Deffibaugh.
Jason Ritter - Joan of Arcadia (2003-2005)
Though for a time he was somewhat overshadowed by the career of his father, Jason Ritter quickly showed that he had his own talents. He rose to particular prominence due to his role in the series Joan of Arcadia, in which he plays a young man, Kevin, whose life is upended when he is seriously injured in a car accident.
He brought a great deal of warmth and depth to the role, and he continues to show his skill in Candy, in which he plays Deputy Denny Reese.
Sharon Conley- NCIS: New Orleans (2015-2019)
Stream On Hulu
NCIS: New Orleans is arguably one of the best procedural dramas on television, especially since it combined strong performances with the action that one expects from this particular franchise. And, of course, it also featured a number of fascinating side characters, one of whom, Karen Izzo, is played by Sharon Conley of Candy (in which she plays the character of Sandra Lockett).
Though she is only in a few episodes, Conley nevertheless creates a character who has many shades, as it’s never clear just whose side she’s really on.