Hulu dips its toe into the true crime crazy with Candy, a miniseries event which premiered yesterday. The 5-part show is set to air one episode a day on the streaming service, all the way through to Friday the 13th for its aptly chilling conclusion. Set in 1980, the story follows housewife and mother Candy Montgomery (Jessica Biel, The Sinner) and the shocking murder she got away with.
Biel, who also executive produced the series, plays Candy as a woman who seemingly has everything she could ever want: loving husband, perfect kids, and a nice suburban home. But when she becomes friends with fellow churchgoer Betty Gore (Melanie Lynskey, Yellowjackets) and her husband (Pablo Schreiber, Halo), things take a very ugly turn. Timothy Simons and Raul Esparza round out the main cast as the story unfolds.
Screen Rant spoke to Biel and Lynskey about which 1980s outfits were their favorites, what drew them to the story of Candy, and which classic franchises are must-watch material for their kids.
Screen Rant: Before we dive into the murder, let's talk about the looks. I was just talking to Timothy and Pablo, and Timothy was telling me he kept one of his blue jumpsuits. What was your favorite thing about each of your looks? And did you ever take them out for a spin on the town, just to be a little disguise for the night?
Jessica Biel: I loved my look. It was so different for me; I've never had hair like that before, or really had the opportunity to dress in those incredible costumes. I loved all of her pantsuits; it was very kind of 80s chic or something. I don't know - it was fun.
I didn't feel like myself at all, and that was the whole idea.
Melanie Lynskey: I loved the look that Betty had at the baby shower, which was this lovely yellow dress. It was supposed to be a moment where she looks glowing and radiant and happy, so I think deliberately [with] the rest of the looks, I was not looking as radiant or happy. [Laughs] I really clung to that baby shower dress. I was like, "There's one that's pretty!"
But I do think that Robert Blackman, our costume designer, was first of all a gentleman and a sweet man and also a genius. He did a beautiful job.
Jessica, as an executive producer, what grabbed you most about this story?
Jessica Biel: Of course, the ending is just endlessly fascinating, right? How did she get acquitted is just still in my mind. I think, really, it's the telling of it; the way that the scripts were subtly and slowly showing you these mundane lives and these suburban existences. It was just a very different tone, and something that I didn't expect.
The story is itself explosive and all of these things, but the way Robin and Nick and our wonderful directors wanted to tell the story - that was really the magic of this particular project.
I love this moment where they take the kids to see Empire Strikes Back, and they're having this whole conversation about it. What is the number one movie or franchise that you want to make sure the kids see? You're like, "I've gotta make sure they're exposed to this."
Melanie Lynskey: I didn't see a lot of movies as a child. I wasn't really taken to them - sounds a bit tragic. So, I don't know about childhood nostalgia. I started watching movies by myself at night, but I would watch The Exorcist and stuff like that. I don't want my daughter to have that experience.
But my husband had a very healthy, normal childhood where he got to go the movies, so I'm sure he has a whole list. He knows all these, like The Little Mermaid. I'm like, "I don't know what that is." Yeah, I've never seen it.
Jessica Biel: There's a lot of films that I grew up with that I love and would want my kids to see. Goonies, I think, would be one that I love so much. And at some point, not anytime soon, Dirty Dancing - I'm a big fan.
In terms of big epics, of course Star Wars. That's obviously something you'd want your kids to see. My kid has seen ET; I think that's a score. He likes watching it. He also loves *Batteries Not Included. I love that movie, but it's about older people and robots and little space aliens. I mean, I get it, but it still surprises me every time that he loves that movie.
Candy Synopsis
Candy Montgomery is a 1980s housewife and mother who did everything right—good husband, two kids, nice house, even the careful planning and execution of transgressions—but when the pressure of conformity builds within her, her actions scream for just a bit of freedom. Until someone tells her to shush. With deadly results.
Check out our other Candy interview with stars Pablo Schreiber & Timothy Simons.
Next: 10 Hidden Gems On Hulu From The 2010s
Candy premiered this week on Hulu, with one episode airing every day through Friday, May 13.