Presumed Innocent Cast & Creatives Break Down Jake Gyllenhaal's Apple TV+ Thriller On Red Carpet

Warning: Spoilers for the first 2 episodes of Presumed Innocent!

Summary

Apple TV+ tackles a corrupt and faulty legal system in the new crime thrillerPresumed Innocent, which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival on June 9 before beginning its run on the streaming service. Creator David E. Kelley adapted the series from Scott Turow’s iconic 1987 novel, which has previously been turned into a movie starring Harrison Ford. Jake Gyllenhaal leads the latest iteration, portraying hotshot prosecutor Rusty Sabich, whose life and career are turned upside down when he is accused of murdering his colleague, Carolyn Polhemus (Renata Reinsve).

The first two episodes have already aired, revealing that Rusty and Carolyn were having an affair and that the latter was pregnant when she passed. Rusty’s guilt appears more in questiononPresumed Innocentthan in original novel, which means that Kelley’s adaptation could take any direction it chooses. The series also stars Ruth Negga, O-T Fagbenle, Bill Camp, Peter Sarsgaard, James Hiroyuki Liao, Nana Mensah and a stellar ensemble cast.

Jake Gyllenhaal as Rusty Sabich and Renate Reinsve as Carolyn Polhemus from Presumed Innocent

Is Presumed Innocent Based On A True Story?

Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent has been praised for its character development and plot, making many wonder whether it might be based on a true story.

While at the show’s Tribeca Film Festival premiere,Screen Rantinterviewed thecast and creator ofPresumed Innocentabout what drew them to the now-classic crime thriller. In addition, Kelley shared insight into the timeline forBig Little Liesseason 3, Liao teased hisStar Trek: Section 31character, and Fagbenle hyped upThe Handmaid’s Taleseason 6.

Presumed Innocent Key Art

David E. Kelley On Presumed Innocent’s Pathologically Complicated Characters

And The Status Of Big Little Lies Season 3

Screen Rant: I really enjoyed the first two episodes ofPresumed Innocent. You are always in your bag when it comes to legal thrillers, but what made you want to do this one in particular, and make it fresh?

David E. Kelley: I was a fan of the book, and I had been a fan of the book for 30 years. So, when the opportunity presented itself, I did rub my hands together and go, “Oh, boy!” But I would say, at the end of the day, it’s the characters. The characters in the book are so nuanced and pathologically complicated. That is what writers yearn to dig into and explore, and that was the joy of developing and producing this one.

Jake Gyllenhaal is an amazing character actor, but he is also an executive producer on this. What was he like to collaborate with on that front?

David E. Kelley: Well, he’s a very smart guy, and he’s very committed to the character. His notes on that character were all well-thought-out. We had a strong producer group on this show, and J.J. Abrams was one of them, so I had a lot of help and backup. Hopefully, it helped us get to the finish line.

It’s currently a miniseries, but there are other books connected to this story. Is that something you’re looking to explore?

David E. Kelley: Not at the moment, although I do have another Scott Turow book that I’m developing. Maybe we’ll see that one day, but we’ll see how this one goes first and take it from there.

Nicole and Reese have saidBig Little Liesseason 3is coming. Where are you on that? How far have we gotten?

David E. Kelley: I’m listening to Nicole and Reese, just like you. They’re doing the heavy lifting here. It would be great. The cast is great on that, and the team is pretty tight. Their schedules are a little bit busy, so logistically, there are some challenges. But it’s so great, so never say never. It’d be great if we could pull it off.

Source:Screen Rant Plus

O-T Fagbenle Teases Presumed Innocent Surprises & The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6

Screen Rant: How are you loving hating Jake Gyllenhaal’s guts onscreen?

O-T Fagbenle: I mean, it’s tough, because he’s a very likable man. But we managed to make it through.

What is it that first excited you about your character and the script?

O-T Fagbenle: Well, the character is ostensibly someone who just wants justice, but really really deep down, he’s rather self-interested. I thought it was interesting to play that shift of [motives].

David E. Kelley is always in his bag when it comes to legal thrillers. What’s your favorite thing about working with him?

O-T Fagbenle: He’s just the master! Even as you read the script, you’re like, “Oh, my God! I can’t believe that happens!” It’s fun to read, and it’s fun to play. And

This is based on a book, and it’s already been a movie before. Can you say if it’s going to be different than the original?

O-T Fagbenle: I cannot say! Mainly because is would spoil it for people. I think it’s so surprising. Each episode is so surprising, but when you get to the end, your mind’s blown.

We may soon be getting thenext season ofThe Handmaid’s Tale, and Luke was not in a great place the last time we saw him. What can you say about season 6?

O-T Fagbenle: Is anyone ever in a good place in The Handmaid’s Tale? I can say that it’s gonna be a banger. I mean, I’ve been having early conversations with some of the writers and directors, and I think this might be the best season yet.

How Renate Reinsve Got To The Heart Of Her Presumed Innocent Character

Screen Rant: I think it must be really hard to play the victim because you have to bring to life a ghost when the whole story is about who killed them. What is your approach to Carolyn?

Renate Reinsve: I think the fact that she’s a victim is in the context of the show and the story. For me, it’s more about finding out what is her darkness, what are her choices, and what is her relationship with Rusty?

I’m really trying to find the roots and the depth of that relationship and not make it about just the passion, but about really something deeper. Why did they connect? For me, it was important to go really into detail on that.

Speaking of connecting, you and Jake have a lot of chemistry in those moments together. What is that dynamic like on set, working with him as a partner?

Renate Reinsve: Well, he is extremely generous, and he’s really a fantastic actor, so it’s so much fun. He’s very sensitive. As an actor, you have small offers all the time, and you have the structure of the scenes and the script is good, but then you are also bouncing off each other and being very serious about where this scene should go in the whole story. He’s extremely passionate about the story and its characters, so I feel that made it very safe to explore together.

You’ve been on fire with some amazing projects recently. Is there anything else coming down the pipeline you’re excited about?

Renate Reinsve: Yeah, there’s so much. We just premiered our movie Armand atCannes Film Festival. I have a lot of movies coming out, and I’m shooting some movies now. It’s been a very exciting year!

James Hiroyuki Liao Praises Presumed Innocent’s Jake Gyllenhaal & Section 31’s Michelle Yeoh

Screen Rant: I’m lovingPresumed Innocentso far. How are you loving getting to hate Jake Gyllenhaal’s guts onscreen?

James Hiroyuki Liao: I mean, yes! It was so awesome to work with Jake. I sound like a broken record now, but on top of being amazingly gifted and on top of being amazingly generous, he’s so committed. He wants everything to be so great, and he doesn’t waste a moment. He doesn’t want any wasted moments, and that only makes us all better. You can’t ask for more than that from your lead. It’s what you want and what you hope for in every project, so I love Jake. Working with him was a dream come true; it was amazing.

Do you have a favorite memory of playing your character in the show?

James Hiroyuki Liao: Yeah. Without any spoilers, because I don’t want to talk best specifics of the scene, there’s a lot of courtroom scenes in this. My courtroom testimony was going well; we were finding things, and it was fun. Then, after they called cut on one of the takes, Jake actually came up to me and gave me this great idea. It was subtle, but it was awesome, and it changed things for me.

I don’t know if that made it in, but it was my favorite take. Just seeing that collaborative thing, knowing that there’s somebody so passionate about it [was great]. And he was so dead on. He gave me this great little piece of advice as an adjustment to make, and it made the scene so much better for me. Things like that, you just live for. You go in prepared, but then you want those surprises. You want that new stuff to pop, right? It was awesome.

Finally, many Screen Rant readers are awaitingStar Trek: Section 31. What can you tell me about who you play and what we can expect?

JamesHiroyuki Liao:I can’t say really much of anything about who I play on Star Trek: Section 31. All I can say is that my guy is very, very intense. Without giving anything away, he’s a broken soul, and hurt people hurt people. I think I gotta leave it at that, otherwise I get in trouble. But I love playing him.

He’s maybe one of the greatest characters I’ve had the chance to play, and working with my hero of such a long time has just been an insane time for me. I’m working with so many people that have admired for so long. Michelle Yeoh is just everything, and I loved working with her. It was such a special cast as well. I’ve been on cloud nine. I’m so lucky. If you told this kid from Brooklyn that this is where he’d be 20 years ago? I would have never believed you. I’m so fortunate. I’m speechless.

Presumed Innocent’s Nana Mensah Teases The Diplomat Season 2: “Good-Looking”

Screen Rant: I’m really enjoyingPresumed Innocentso far, especially your character’s dynamic with Rusty. She’s on his side, but doesn’t take his s–t. Can you talk about that and working with him?

Nana Mensah: Of course. I love working on this particular character because I feel like a lot of times detectives can be drawn as a little two-dimensional, and I like that she has doubt and that her doubt grows as the evidence grows. Because she’s not a dummy, and she’s not blindly loyal. I appreciated them shading this character in that way. I felt really good about that.

David E. Kelly is a legal thriller mastermind. What’s it like working with him and seeing him freshen up this classic story?

Nana Mensah: Yeah, he is a master of the craft, so I really appreciate his friendliness. Obviously, it was based off a book that was written in the ’80s, so things needed updating. Even just the technology and the way women are portrayed and talked about. I think the whole writers' team — Sharr White, Micki Johnson, and David E. Kelley — just gave it a big old facelift. I really appreciate d it; it was great.

Finally, I also loved you inThe Diplomat. Is there anything you can say about Billie in season 2?

Nana Mensah: I can say that it is a… Woo! Okay.Season 2 of The Diplomat… is very good-looking. It’s a very good-looking season of television. That’s what I got. [Laughs]

Sarunas Jackson Shouts Out David E. Kelley’s Scripts & Playing Matt Barnes On Clipped

Screen Rant: What was it that most excited you about this project?

Sarunas Jackson: You see all the names that are attached? Immediately. Ruth Negga, Jake Gyllenhaal, Bill Camp, Peter Skarsgaard… All those names. David E. Kelley! It was kind of like they put the Avengers together to make a limited series, and I just had to be a part of that.

Speaking of David E. Kelley, he’s always in his bag when it comes to legal thrillers. What is your favorite thing about working with him?

Sarunas Jackson: The scripts. It’s such a joy to get scripts, read ‘em, and enjoy the writing. And you’re a part of it, which makes it that much more exciting to go to work. I can’t give him [enough credit]; he has my highest respect.

On the other end of the spectrum,you play Matt Barnes inClippedright now, which is lots of fun. What can you tell me about that experience and playing a real-life player?

Sarunas Jackson: It’s so wild because I remember when it was happening in real time. I also know Matt; I’ve known him throughout the years. We’ve run into each other, so it was surreal. It was really weird because I was the only guy who was portraying the person that he knew — except Laurence Fishburne, who met Doc Rivers before.

Yeah, it’s actually a really fun, wild, surreal time for me right now. I’m really enjoying it a lot.

Kingston Rumi Southwick Is Grateful To Have Jake Gyllenhaal & Ruth Negga As TV Parents

Screen Rant: What was it that first drew you to the story? What excited you most when you first got the script?

Kingston Rumi Southwick: Jake Gyllenhaal, David E. Kelley, Ruth Negga. They’re the most amazing, beautifully talented people, and the way they invited me onto the set was very welcoming. They just made it very easy to say yes.

This is the beginning of your career, and you’ve already got Jake and Ruth as your parents. Did you learn any lessons for the future from them?

Kingston Rumi Southwick: Absolutely, they gave me so much advice. I remember one thing that was specific was, “If you work hard enough, you may make a hard job look easy.” That’s very true about what Jake does and very true about what Ruth does. They work nonstop, and you guys are going to experience that hard work while watching it. It’s just immensely amazing, and they’re both so talented. It was a dream working with them.

Your character, on the other hand, is living a nightmare right now. Your family blows up, your dad’s on trial. What are you going through?

Kingston Rumi Southwick: I mean, my character is going through so much. And that’s why it was fun! As a teenager, you kind of disassociate from your own family and yourself. I’m experiencing that while still loving my dad and still loving my mom, and without really knowing how to compartmentalize this whole thing.

I feel like he’s a very real character and people can connect to him because this kid is going through and having to deal with so much. It’s something that is very exciting, and you guys will definitely see it.

Tate Birchmore’s Character Is Massively Stressed In Presumed Innocent

Screen Rant: Your character, Michael, is very mysterious. What can you tell us about him and his mindset at the start of the series?

Tate Birchmore: I think he’s probably really stressed out. A lot of things are happening around him that a child his age probably shouldn’t need to go through. It’s just a lot happening, and it’s a lot emotionally for someone his age.

David E. Kelley is a mastermind of the legal thriller genre. What is it like to be under his wing at so young an age?

Tate Birchmore: It’s really nice to work with just great people, and it’s interesting because I’m not as experienced as a lot of the other people are. It’s really nice to get to work with really smart creatives who are just really good at what they do.

Jake Gyllenhaal is one such creative who is very good at what he does. Do you have a favorite memory on set with him?

Tate Birchmore: There was this one time when I was really stressed out, and he leaned over to say something that completely de-stressed me. It helped a lot because I have some social anxiety, and he really brought me out of my shell.

Presumed Innocent & House Of The Dragon Are Surprisingly Similar In One Way

Screen Rant: What excited you about this project?

Greg Yaitanes: What excites me is families in crisis; men in peril. I find those stories, as I’m in my midlife here, of people in their forties to their sixties fascinating. “When somebody is at the epicenter of responsibility for their family in crisis, how do they react? What are the choices they make?” These things were in front of me every day as we were making the show.

Jake doesn’t just star in it, but he’s also an executive producer. What did he bring to the table as both Rusty and as a collaborator?

Greg Yaitanes: Jake brings 30 years in front of the camera, and I bring 30 years of TV to the table, so we were able to take our combined 60 years of experience in the business and collaborate as producers. Then as actor-director, we could pivot.

Jake is really great because he’s very big picture, and he understands how something will be constructed and what you need. He’s an asset to you when you’re creating visuals as well as everything else, and he’s fully present on every casting. Anybody who’s working with him, he’s personally betting on.

Another genius in the industry is David E. Kelly, of course. What was that dynamic like, and how did you work with him to make this story fresh?

Greg Yaitanes: When I was really first starting in the business, I had an opportunity to shadow on one of David’s shows as an up-and-coming director. To bring it full circle and work with his mentor, Steven Bochco, and then to get to work with him is a real pleasure and something I’ve wanted to do literally since I started in television.

Speaking of other television, you worked onHouse of the Dragonseason 1. You’ve done huge epic shows and then also had this more intimate, cerebral kind of show. How do you approach them differently?

Greg Yaitanes: The funniest, strangest thing was that I could walk through the set of Rusty’s house in 20 seconds, whereas to get anywhere in the palace for House of the Dragon, you had to go up steps and around a corner, then down a hall. It was elaborate.

But the idea of taking stories of family in peril, and then boiling them down to very intimate scenes, was very similar in that way. What’s nice is that you don’t have to mess with wigs and costumes and torches and all those things, but it was similar at its core in terms of acting and performance and intention.