Having made his name creating beloved and long-running TV hits including L.A. Law, The Practice and Ally McBeal, writer and producer David E. Kelley has pivoted to working on limited series in recent years, most notably in HBO’s acclaimed Big Little Lies. His latest star-studded miniseries, Presumed Innocent, sees him returning to the legal genre. Here’s what we know so far about the series, including cast and release date.
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What is Presumed Innocent about?
Presumed Innocent takes place at the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office, which is shaken to its core when one of its staffers, chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich (Jake Gyllenhaal) becomes a suspect in a horrific murder. Per the Apple TV+ synopsis, the series “explores obsession, sex, politics, and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together.” Kelley, Gyllenhaal and J.J. Abrams are all executive producers on the series.
Is Presumed Innocent based on a book?
Presumed Innocent is based on the 1987 novel of the same name by Scott Turow. The novel became a New York Times bestseller, and was previously adapted into a movie starring Harrison Ford, which was released in 1990.
“I will tell you, and I said this to David in all sincerity, that even I was shocked by the ending of the pilot,” Turow told Amazon Book Review, suggesting that the series will make some significant deviations from its source material. “He’s got some very, very clever tricks up his sleeve. I'm literally excited to see how it's going to turn out.”
With that caveat in mind, the book synopsis offers a little more detail about what may be in store in the series. “Carolyn Polhemus was an assistant prosecuting attorney, intelligent and full of promise. When she is found dead—assaulted and strangled—the curtain is pulled on a dark, tangled web of sex, corruption and betrayal,” the synopsis reads. “Before long, prosector Rusty Sabich stands accused of her murder. He was having an affair with Carolyn, and the motive seems clear-cut. And so, with no one to trust, it is up to Rusty to uncover the truth behind this deadly crime—and prove his innocence.”
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Is Presumed Innocent based on a true story?
Presumed Innocent is not based on a true story. In fact, Turow set his novel, and its subsequent sequels, in a fictional Midwestern location, Kindle County.
What is the release date for Presumed Innocent?
Presumed Innocent will premiere on June 14, 2024, with subsequent episodes dropping weekly on Apple TV+.
Who is cast in Presumed Innocent?
Jake Gyllenhaal as Rusty
Presumed Innocent marks Gyllenhaal’s first significant TV role, as the actor has previously stuck almost exclusively to the big screen. He plays the lead role of Rusty Sabich, a talented deputy prosecutor whose life is upended when he’s accused of murdering his colleague.
Ruth Negga as Barbara
Negga will play Rusty’s wife, Barbara Sabich, an artist and gallerist who “fights for her family as she tends to her broken heart and broken marriage” in the run-up to Rusty’s much-publicized trial. Negga has appeared in a number of TV shows before, including AMC’s Preacher and ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and was nominated for an Oscar in 2016 for her performance in the romantic historical drama Loving.
Bill Camp as Raymond
Camp plays Rusty’s boss, Raymond Horgan, whose own career is compromised when Rusty comes under suspicion for the murder.
Elizabeth Marvel as Lorraine
Marvel plays Lorraine Horgan, Raymond’s wife, who becomes a confidante for Barbara amidst the chaos of the trial.
Peter Sarsgaard as Tommy
Sarsgaard (who happens to be Gyllenhaal’s brother-in-law IRL) plays Tommy Molto, an embittered Chief Deputy District attorney who becomes a thorn in Rusty's side.
Renate Reinsve as Carol
Reinsve plays Carol Polhemus, Rusty’s colleague (and mistress) whose murder is the inciting incident of the series. She’s described as “a driven and enigmatic Chicago prosecutor”.
O-T Fagbenle as Nico
Fagbenle plays Nico Della Guardia, a slick, ambitious politician who’s willing to do whatever it takes to get a conviction after Carol’s murder.
How many episodes are in Presumed Innocent?
The series will be eight episodes long.
How to watch Presumed Innocent
Presumed Innocent is an Apple original, so it will be available exclusively on Apple TV+.
Is there a trailer for Presumed Innocent?
A trailer for Presumed Innocent hasn’t been released yet, but there are a few brief glimpse of the series in Apple TV’s 2024 preview reel, which you can watch below: