They had no idea what they were in for when Dateline began airing programmes about Pam Hupp back in 2013. They would keep returning to Hupp over the following few years as her name was consistently connected to a number of homicides. In 2016, she was eventually detained for the death of Louis Gumpenberger. The story of Hupp was the subject of a multi-episode podcast from Dateline in 2019. They were correct; Pam does have a few rather odd characteristics. The story, which is now titled The Thing About Pam and stars Judy Greer, Josh Duhamel, and Renée Zellweger, was picked up by NBC for a limited series that will debut on March 8, 2022. The characters to be on the lookout for are listed below.
Betsy Faria (Katy Mixon)
Sadly, Betsy. Her sole error was in choosing the wrong person to put her trust in while she was battling illness and attempting to rebuild her life. For obvious reasons, Betsy is primarily depicted in the series through flashbacks, yet she is the main driving force behind the narrative.
On Eastbound & Down, Katy Mixon is best known for playing April. Since then, she has performed voice work for Robot Chicken, The Looney Tunes Show, and the feature film Minions in addition to appearing in Mike & Molly and American Housewife.
Janet (Suanne Spoke)
Janet, Betsy’s mother, is unsure of what to believe. Russ wouldn’t ever harm her daughter, she knows. However, he appears more guilty by the second. Pam, a reliable friend, continually reminding her of this. Why would she lie, too?
Television has featured Suanne Spoke since the middle of the 1980s. She has appeared in smaller roles on Step by Step, Judging Amy, The Division, and ER in addition to being a series regular on General Hospital and Switched at Birth.
Joel Schwartz (Josh Duhamel)
Joel Schwartz’s task as Russ Faria’s defence attorney was challenging. It’s difficult to show Pam is lying, which is one of the things about her. Schwartz was thankfully persistent because he was essentially Russ’s only hope.
In 1999, Josh Duhamel made his television debut on All My Children. He has since appeared in Unsolved, Crossing Jordan, and Las Vegas. Additionally, he has acted in Love, Simon, When in Rome, and Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!
Leah Askey (Judy Greer)
Russ Faria was twice put on trial for the death of his wife by the district attorney who neglected to adequately investigate Pam Hupp. As a result of what she did throughout the investigation and following trials, she later had to deal with political and legal repercussions.
Since the late 1990s, Judy Greer has blessed us with her presence on screen. She has appeared on several television programmes, including Arrested Development, Californication, Kidding, and Archer, to name a very small number. In films like 13 Going on 30, The Village, 27 Dresses, Ant-Man, and Halloween, she also played noteworthy roles.
Louis Gumpenberger (Jeff Ryan Baker)
The first victim of Pam, they believed. Louis took engaged in a deranged dream that resulted in murder without his knowledge. After a fatal vehicle accident in 2005, Gumpenberger suffered from diminished mental and physical capacities, which made him a simple target for Pam’s plan.
Mariah Day (Gideon Adlon)
Mariah Faria, the daughter of Betsy and Russ Faria, struggles with the decision of whether to stand with her father or pursue justice for her mother. She unfortunately falls prey to Pam’s deceit as well.
In 2018’s Blockers, Gideon Adlon played her first significant film role. Prior to that, she appeared in Louie, Girl Meets World, The Society, and Better Things with her mother, Pamela Adlon.
Mark Hupp (Sean Bridgers)
Pam Hupp’s unaware husband is Mark Hupp. Naturally, he requested a divorce from Pam in 2020. He appeared to be caught up in her web of deceit as he desperately fought to maintain the stability of his family.
Sean Bridgers is most recognised for his performances as Trey Willis in the underappreciated classic Rectify, Louis Darnell in Get Shorty, and Johnny Burns in Deadwood.
Minnie (Patricia French)
Pam’s nosy neighbour is Minnie. Is it true that she knows Pam? Or does she share everyone else’s ignorance? As Pam executes her plans, Minnie seems to keep reappearing, almost like a conscience-whispering voice. If Pam only had one.
Patricia French has had appearances in Ozark, Halt and Catch Fire, The Good Lord Bird, True Detective, and The Good Lord Bird.
Narrator (Keith Morrison)/H3>
Keith Morrison, who has been Dateline’s iconic voice since 1995, narrates the limited series in the same manner as he narrated the podcast. Morrison’s dulcet baritone voice and lively narration make him a cult hero among fans. He was imitated (brilliantly) by Bill Hader on Saturday Night Live and has appeared in the sitcom Seinfeld.
Olivia Luccardi, Jesse Scott Egan, Adam David Thompson, Catherine Carlen, Sarah Stipe, Drew Scheid, and Ann Mahoney are also featured in the limited series.
Weekly new episodes debut on NBC on Tuesdays. They are also accessible on Peacock the following day.
Pam Hupp (Renée Zellweger)
Exactly what can be said about Pam Hupp? We don’t want to reveal everything, but since 2011, she has been charged with two (and perhaps three) killings. She is a superb manipulator, even getting police and prosecutors to believe her. Pam is good at twisting stories and making up fake scenarios, preying on people’s misery, and everyone believes her when she says it. Although it took years for investigators to uncover what she was truly up to, the tale of her journey is interesting. The ease with which individuals can be duped is almost painful to observe.
In 1996, Zellweger had her breakthrough performance in the movie Jerry Maguire. Since then, she has appeared in Me, Myself, & Irene, Miss Potter, Chicago, Cinderella Man, and all of Bridget Jones’s Diary’s sequels. In 2019’s Judy and in 2003’s Cold Mountain, Zellweger won two Oscars—one for Best Actress for her depiction of Judy Garland and one for Supporting Actress.
Russ Faria (Glenn Fleshler)
Russ is devastated when his wife Betsy is discovered dead. He had only just started having problems when he was detained and found guilty of her homicide. Russ is singled out for guilt due to Hupp’s deceit and the erroneous prosecution while also mourning the loss of his wife.
Glenn Fleshler has starred in a number of films, including For Life, Boardwalk Empire, Billions, The Night Of, and Barry. He has additionally acted in the movies Joker and A Most Violent Year.
