How do you greatest inform a tragic story that everybody already appears to know? For “Murdaugh: Dying within the Household” star and govt producer Jason Clarke, you might have a bit enjoyable with it. Properly, with an asterisk.
“I’ll give it to you straight up: it’s pleasurable being a narcissist,” Clarke stated throughout a current chat with IndieWire as a part of our Cross the Distant panel sequence, offered in partnership with Disney, to rejoice the artwork and craft of TV. “It’s pleasurable being an excellent ol’ boy, you understand what I imply? It’s good to be the king! There’s that entire facet of it. Narcissism? I regarded and considered that lots. An absence of empathy as nicely, finally. Which is the place he actually finally ends up, with a scarcity of empathy. The person stands by his resolution, I suppose, in nonetheless not coming clear.”
Within the miniseries, Clarke stars as convicted assassin Alex Murdaugh (full with Southern accent and rusty crimson hair), notorious for killing his spouse Maggie (Patricia Arquette) and son Paul (Johnny Berchtold) in 2021 following years of interfamily drama, trauma, and oops, sure, different mysterious deaths. For Clarke, tapping into Alex’s most elementary (and base) needs was key to unlocking his character.
Through the panel, hosted by IndieWire’s personal Editor in Chief & Senior Vice President Dana Harris-Bridson, among the restricted sequence’ forged and crew joined Cross the Distant to speak about their meticulously researched present and what they hope viewers get out of it. Clarke was joined by co-creator and govt producer Erin Lee Carr; co-creator, showrunner, and govt producer Michael D. Fuller; hair division head Katie Ballard; casting director John Papsidera; and make-up division head Addison Foreman.
And whereas Clarke was joking a bit about having fun with the method, Clarke clearly relished tapping into no matter it’s that makes Alex tick and making use of it to his efficiency. He additionally credited Ballard and Foreman for helping that transformation, not simply via their very own craft work, however by equally diving head-long right into a journey via “absurdity and vulgarity.” And Will Ferrell outtakes?
“There’s the mechanical manner of going via that and processing it, after which there’s the unconscious manner of simply doing it,” Clarke stated. “I’ll say, with Addison and Katie, we used to take heed to what you might time period narcissistic music and dance. … You must keep pleased! It’s not simple being a full-time narcissist, it’s a full-time job. Katie and Addison, who have been in my area a lot and have been most likely two of the one folks I let into my area to see my absurdity and my vulgarity at occasions and my dangerous mood. … We’d do a whole lot of issues, watch Will Ferrell to giggle, to get into, ‘fuckin’ the plums, simply drippin’ down my chin!’ You must have the large factor, to exit and simply suppose, ‘Fuck it! I’m simply involved about me!’”
Watch the entire video of IndieWire’s “Murdaugh: Dying within the Household” panel above. Extra Cross the Distant panels can be found as nicely on IndieWire’s web site and YouTube channel.
“Murdaugh: Dying within the Household” is now streaming on Hulu, with new episodes rolling out via Wednesday, November 19, when the sequence finale will begin streaming.
The IndieWire Cross the Distant Winter Version, offered in partnership with Disney, will rejoice the artwork and craft of TV via a sequence of panels rolling out via early December 2025. Verify again right here for extra.
