Dramatized true-crime stories are everywhere today from HBO's imagining of The Staircase to FX’s Under the Banner of Heaven. Fans of the original stories flock to the scripted versions to see what’s changed and, more importantly, what’s stayed the same. Such will absolutely be the case for the upcoming Peacock limited series, A Friend of the Family. Today, the streamer revealed some first-look photos of the new production, depicting their two main characters — teenage kidnapping victim Jan Broberg Felt (Mckenna Grace) and her groomer and captor, Robert Berchtold (Jake Lacy). The series will also star Academy Award winner Anna Paquin as Jan’s mother, Mary Ann, and Colin Hanks as Jan’s father, Bob with Leo Tipton as Robert’s wife, Gail. Nick Antosca, who recently found success standing behind another true-crime scripted series, Candy, serves as the showrunner and executive producer.
The story surrounding Jan and her family was the subject of an unbelievable Netflix documentary a few years back titled, Abducted in Plain Sight. Directed by Skye Borgman (Dead Asleep), the 2017 film followed the story of the Broberg family and their relationship with the seemingly nice guy next door.
Throughout the span of several years, Robert was able to groom the young girl, abducting her multiple times and driving a major rift within the family. Using his charismatic nature and highly manipulative ways, Robert lured Jan away from her home and at one point even seduced both her parents into carrying on romantic affairs with him. By the end of it all, the family was torn apart by the trauma inflicted by Robert, leaving everyone shattered in the wake of the events. If you haven’t seen the documentary, it features present-day interviews with Broberg Felt and is absolutely worth a watch, although a lot of it’s hard to stomach.
The first look photos transport viewers back to the 1970s and reveal Grace’s Jan as a nervous-looking young teen. In the image, an unsure Jan stands back with her brows furrowed, looking at whoever is in front of her with mistrust. We also catch a look at Lacy’s Robert, a performance that will be quite the departure for the actor known for his work in The Office and The White Lotus. Leaning forward with an untrustworthy smirk on his face, Lacy is giving us creepy vibes in a scene that looks like he’s grooming his soon-to-be victim.
As disturbing as it is, the story behind A Friend of the Family is one that needs to be told. It tells a cautionary tale of being careful about whom you keep in your inner circle and not ignoring red flags when they pop up. The series will drop on Peacock on October 6, stay tuned at Collider for more updates!