Gaby Hoffmann, known for her versatile and compelling acting, portrays Cassie in the new Netflix series Eric. The show stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Vincent, a puppeteer whose life takes a dramatic turn when his nine-year-old son, Edgar, goes missing on the way to school.
Hoffmann’s character, Cassie, is Vincent’s wife. The couple’s relationship is strained further when their son disappears, pushing Vincent into a downward spiral of guilt and obsession. The show’s setting in 1980s New York City provides a fitting backdrop for this tense thriller, described by Netflix as an emotional and psychological exploration.
On the role, Hoffmann shared her thoughts on how unfulfilled childhood experiences impact adult life. She said, The way that I see it is when you’re not properly loved as a child, and not given the space and the opportunity to discover yourself, you struggle with that as life goes on.
Cumberbatch describes his character Vincent as a desperate father who becomes obsessed with bringing to life his son’s drawing of a blue monster named Eric. He reveals, I was drawn to the complexity of the character and the depth of emotions I could explore
, highlighting the intricate layers of Vincent’s persona.
The series combines deep psychological themes with elements of fantasy and horror, brought to life by creators’ meticulous attention to detail and character believability. Hoffmann’s role as Cassie is particularly poignant, blending her real-life experience growing up among misfits and creatives at New York’s Chelsea Hotel.
Benedict explains further about his character’s unsettling journey stating, The character is just so complicated. There’s so much to grapple with and he’s very lovable and very destructive and very sad all at the same time.
The critical acclaim received by Cumberbatch’s performance helps to drive home the show’s primal themes about grief and coping mechanisms, though some critics find its offbeat style polarizing.
The series also features McKinley Belcher III as Detective Ledroit and Adepero Oduye as Cecile Rochelle, who navigate their own stories of missing children within a city grappling with broader societal issues like homophobia, racism, and mental illness.
Hoffmann reflects on her acting journey that began at age four and evolved through significant roles in Field of Dreams and Sleepless in Seattle. Her recent projects include Amazon’s Transparent and Mike Mills’s C’mon C’mon. She admits to finding little importance in awards but relies on an intuitive approach to her craft.
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