Margaret Qualley is no longer going to star in Hulu‘s limited series about Amanda Knox, Variety has confirmed.
The untitled series was announced in March with Qualley set to star and executive produce. She has reportedly exited the project due to scheduling conflicts. The role will now be recast.
This is not the first time Hulu has lost its lead actress in a limited series based on a real person. Kate McKinnon was once attached to play Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in what would become “The Dropout,” the role that was eventually played by Amanda Seyfried. Seyfried would go on to win an Emmy for her work on the show.
Hulu has ordered eight one-hour episodes of the show. The official description states that it is “based on the true story of how Knox was wrongfully convicted for the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher and her 16-year odyssey to set herself free.”
KJ Steinberg (“This Is Us,” “Mistresses,” “Gossip Girl”) serves as writer and executive producer on the series. Warren Littlefield, Lisa Harrison, Ann Johnson, and Graham Littlefield of The Littlefield Company will also executive produce along with Monica Lewinsky as well as Knox and Chris Robinson via Knox Robinson Productions. 20th Television is the studio.
Knox’s story has been the subject of multiple onscreen projects to date. In addition to several news special reports and documentaries, Lifetime aired the original film “Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy” in 2011. The film “Stillwater” starring Matt Damon, Abigail Breslin, and Camille Cottin, which is believed to have been inspired by Knox’s story, was released in 2021.
Deadline first reported Qualley’s exit.
