Cast announced for Netflix’s Harlan Coben’s Fool Me Once
February 20, 2023
Harlan Coben, Danny Brocklehurst, Nicola Shindler, Richard Fee and Netflix are back with their fifth collaboration, an adaptation of Harlan Coben’s #1 New York Times bestselling novel Fool Me One.
The cast leading the new drama is acclaimed British actress Michelle Keegan (Brassic, Our Girl), BAFTA award-winner Adeel Akhtar (Sweet Tooth, Ali & Ava), Richard Armitage (Stay Close, The Stranger) and BAFTA award-winner Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous, Finding Alice). They are joined by Emmett J.Scanlan (Kin, Peaky Blinders) and Dino Fetscher (Years and Years, Foundation).
About Fool Me Once
Harlan Coben’s Fool Me Once follows Maya Stern (Keegan) who is trying to come to terms with the brutal murder of her husband, Joe (Armitage). But when Maya installs a nanny-cam to keep an eye on her young daughter, she is shocked to see a man she recognises in her house. Her husband, who she thought was dead…
Detective Sergeant Sami Kierce (Akhtar) leads the homicide investigation into Joe’s death while grappling with secrets of his own. Meanwhile, Maya’s niece and nephew, Abby and Daniel, are trying to find the truth about their mother’s murder, several months earlier. Are the two cases connected? Fool Me Once follows these characters on a thrilling hunt for the truth that will reveal shocking secrets and change their lives forever. Lumley is Judith Burkett, Joe’s protective mother.
In keeping with previous Harlan Coben adaptations, Fool Me Once will relocate the story from the US to the UK. Filming has now started in Manchester and the Northwest of England.
Coben commented: “I’m thrilled and honoured to once again be collaborating with my uber-talented partners Danny, Nicola and Richard. Fool Me Once will be our fourth Netflix series [following ‘Safe,’ ‘The Stranger’ and ‘Stay Close’] together, and man, it never gets old! ‘Fool Me Once’ is a pulse-pounder — a shocking story of how secrets and deceit have the power to bring people together while simultaneously tearing them apart. I can’t wait to see how this dream cast brings these characters to life.”
Brocklehurst added: “Following on from our smash hits The Stranger and Stay Close, Fool Me Once does not disappoint. Harlan’s books are storytelling genius and it’s great to be entrusted once more in bringing his gripping stories of life. As always with our thrillers, expect twist upon twist and an emotional rollercoaster. Plus, the cast is phenomenal – audiences are in for a treat.”
Executive Producers for Quay Street Productions, Shindler and Fee said: “Harlan is a master of twists and turns that are impossible to predict, which is what makes adapting his books for television impossible to resist. Fool Me Once is no different, we’re incredibly excited to bring the story to life with an all-star cast.”
Fool Me Once will be the eighth on-screen adaptation from bestselling author Coben through his ongoing creative partnership with Netflix. Coben continues his work with local screenwriters from around the world to bring his novels to life on screen, so far across four languages.