Credit: Candy
If you’re wondering why the cast members of Candy are so familiar, it’s because they are. The actors appearing in this series have performed in some of the most prominent blockbusters in the past few years. But before we get there, here’s a brief introduction to what Candy is about:
Candy is a biographical crime drama series that tells the real-life story of Candy Montgomery, who was accused of murdering her neighbor, Betty Gore. The show premiered on Hulu last May. Candy was created by Nick Antosca and Robin Veith. Antosca is best known for his work on Channel Zero. He also co-created two limited series: The Act and Brand New Cherry Flavor. Veith, on the other hand, was a writer’s assistant on the first season of Mad Men. The show saw him rise through the ranks, eventually co-writing the final episode of the season with the series creator Matthew Weiner.
Candy has been generally well-received during its short run. CNN specifically praised the talents of its stars in their review, writing: “The performances, starting with Biel and Lynskey, are sharp and convincing, and the unexpected turns down the stretch make this one of those fact-based productions where the less you know going in, the better.” Common Sense Media was also generous with their review: “With an enviable cast and immersive (and pretty hideous) period costumes, sets, and most of all, wigs, this true-crime tale is a fizzy kick.”
It’s no surprise that the show was great because its talented cast members breathed life into the storyline. If you’re wondering where you’ve seen these actors before, look no further. Here are the cast members of Candy and the most prominent projects they’ve appeared in the past.
Jessica Biel in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Credit: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Jessica Biel stars in Candy as the titular character, Candy Montgomery. She’s appeared in multiple films and TV shows before, including 7th Heaven, New Year’s Eve, and The Tall Men, but perhaps she’s best recognized for her role as Erin Hardesty in the 2003 horror movie The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. In the movie, Biel starred as the main protagonist, alongside Jonathan Tucker, Erica Leerhsen, Mike Vogel, Eric Balfour, and R. Lee Ermey. While the movie was critically panned by reviewers, it paved the way for Biel to snag more prestigious projects. More recently, Biel has appeared in A Kind of Murder, Spark, and Shock and Awe.
Melanie Lynskey in Hello I Must Be Going
Credit: Hello I Must Be Going
Melanie Lynskey portrays Betty Gore in the hit Hulu series Candy. Lynskey’s film credits include Detroit Rock City, But I’m a Cheerleader, Coyote Ugly, Abandon, Sweet Home Alabama, Shattered Glass, Flags of Our Fathers, Away We Go, Up In The Air, The Informant, and Leaves of Grass. But Lynskey received critical acclaim for her starring role in the comedy-drama movie Hello I Must Be Going, in which she portrayed a depressed divorcee. For her role in the movie, Lynskey received a nomination for the prestigious Gotham Award for Breakthrough Performer. She would then appear in more prominent projects like Happy Christmas, We’ll Never Have Paris, Goodby To All That, The Intervention, and more recently, Lady of the Manor.
Pablo Schreiber in Den of Thieves
Credit: Den of Thieves
Pablo Schreiber plays Allan Gore in the series. His past roles include Nick Sobotka on The Wire, William Lewis on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Mad Sweeney on American Gods, and George Mendez on Orange is the New Black. Most people would recognize him as Ray Merrimen in the action film Den of Thieves. His role in the movie is described as a MARSOC Marine veteran who’s also the leader of the crew. Currently, he stars as John-117 in the TV adaptation of the video game Halo.
Timothy Simons in Veep
Credit: Veep
Timothy Simons plays Pat Montgomery in Candy. His acting roles include supporting characters in The Interview, Christine, and The Boss, but his breakthrough performance was as the obnoxious political operative Jonah Ryan in the hit HBO political comedy Veep. Interestingly, his role on the show was also his TV debut. Simons acknowledges that his role as Jonah is his most recognizable yet. In an interview with Uproxx, Simons commented on how he landed the role, saying: “Veep was definitely the biggest job that I had ever gotten at that point. Getting cast on that show was the point at which I quit most day jobs. Before that, I probably would have been able to, I don’t know. I acted in commercials and I would pick up jobs here and there. I think I made enough money that I could have not done anything else, but there was no reason to not also work my day job. My wife and I were trying to have kids, so I stuck around.”
Raul Esparza in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Credit: Law & Order: SVU
Last on the list is Raul Esparza, who played the role of Don Crowded in Candy. His most prominent role, prior to joining the miniseries, was as Rafael Barba in the hit police procedural drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He began in the show as a recurring character, then got bumped up to main cast in the latter seasons. All in all, he’s appeared in 119 episodes of the series.Candy
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