A NEW Hulu show on family killer Alex Murdaugh has a Hollywood icon playing the disgraced patriarch.
The star is working alongside actress Patricia Arquette who will play Murdaugh’s wife, Maggie.
Hulu has made huge gains in the documentary game, turning out true crime films and celebrity tell-alls at a record pace.
It’s no surprise that the streaming service is planning to release a limited series about a case that gripped the nation two years ago.
Back in the summer of 2021, Murdaugh, a well-known South Carolina lawyer, found himself facing a life sentence after being convicted by a jury for the murders of his wife, Maggie, 52, and their son, Paul, 22 in March 2023.
The prosecution’s case centered around the belief that Murdaugh orchestrated the killings of his family members as a means to divert attention from his impending exposure for financial crimes. The double murder was seen as an attempt to manipulate public sentiment in his favor.
Murdaugh, who maintains his innocence, was seen crying during his trial.
Despite Murdaugh’s emotional display during the trial, the jury remained unconvinced of his innocence in the deaths of Maggie and Paul. The tragic events took place in close proximity to the dog kennel on the family’s estate in Hampton, leading to a guilty verdict for Murdaugh.
Hulu’s docuseries titled The Murdaugh Murders dives into the investigative reporting of Mandy Matney, the creator of the Murdaugh Murders Podcast.
Australian actor Jason Clarke will star in the docuseries as Murdaugh.
Clarke, 55, looked unrecognizable in photos taken on set at Assembly Studios in Atlanta.
In the first photos from filming to be released, Clarke is seen with blond hair and sunglasses.
He is wearing a wrinkled white button-down with khakis and a striped tie. 5
With shirt untucked, he also threw on a pair of slides.
His on-set look is nothing like the polished dark-haired man seen on the red carpet.
The docuseries’ production is scheduled to end in June.
A release date has yet to be revealed.
WHO IS JASON CLARKE?
Clarke is from a small sheep- and cattle-raising town in Queensland, Australia.
Instead of following in his father’s footsteps as a sheep shearer, Clarke decided to try to make it big as a Hollywood actor.
Some of the most popular films in Clarke’s portfolio include Everest, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Terminator Genisys and Oppenheimer.
Clarke is married to French actress Cécile Breccia. They have two children together.
Alex Murdaugh’s Convictions
Disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to two life terms for the June 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and youngest son, Paul.
Murdaugh, who is already serving two life terms plus an additional 27 years, was handed an additional 40-year sentence in April 2024 for defrauding his previous clients.
Alex Murdaugh’s conviction and sentencing:
- Murder of Maggie Murdaugh – life sentence
- Murder of Paul Murdaugh – life sentence
- Possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, two counts – five years
- 22 fraud charges – 40 years, running concurrently with a 27-year sentence
- One count of bank fraud – up to 30 years and $1,000,000
- Two counts of wire fraud – up to 30 years and $1,000,000
- One count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud – punishable by up to 30 years and $1,000,000 fine
- Three counts of wire fraud – up to 20 years and $250,000
- One count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud – up to 20 years and $1,000,000
- Fourteen counts of money laundering – up to 20 years and $500,000
