It took years to bring Kay Scarpetta from page to the screen. Now they both play her

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This article contains some Season 1 spoilers for “Scarpetta.”

Fans have waited a long time to see Kay Scarpetta adapted for television, and the new Prime Video series delivers with a unique approach. “Scarpetta,” which starts streaming Wednesday, features two actresses – Nicole Kidman and Rosy McEwen – both portraying the forensic examiner as they investigate murders in different time periods.

Kidman shared over Zoom with McEwen that she’s simply happy the project finally came together. She explained that there had been a long gap since anyone had attempted it, likely because of a perceived lack of interest in stories about complex female characters. However, she believes they’ve now proven over time that audiences are interested in those kinds of roles.

Many have tried to bring Patricia Cornwell’s bestselling Scarpetta mystery novels to the big screen, with actresses like Demi Moore and Angelina Jolie previously considered for the lead role. However, it wasn’t until Jamie Lee Curtis became a producer in early 2021 that a movie adaptation finally moved forward.

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‘Scarpetta’ finally brings the medical examiner and a slew of details to the screen

The new Prime Video series stars Nicole Kidman as Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner character originally created by author Patricia Cornwell.

Curtis explains he was surprised to learn the rights to Kay Scarpetta’s books were available, given how significant the character is in literature. Seeing the potential for a TV series based on the many existing stories, he immediately contacted his producing partner, Jason Blum, and they quickly decided to acquire the rights. He simply believed it was time to bring Scarpetta to the screen.

Nicole Kidman as Kay Scarpetta. (Connie Chornuk / Prime)

Rosy McEwen as younger Kay Scarpetta. (Connie Chornuk / Prime)

Curtis’ Comet Pictures and Blumhouse Television hired experienced TV writer Liz Sarnoff to lead the show. Sarnoff grew up reading the books with her mother and felt a strong personal connection to the story. With so many novels to adapt—the first published in 1990—Sarnoff aimed to blend the storylines from the early books, set in the 1990s, with those from the more recent ones.

Sarnoff explains that investigations in the 1990s were much slower because DNA analysis took a long time. Today, DNA results come back quickly. To capture both of these eras, she decided to tell the story through two timelines: one focusing on the character starting her career, and another showing her years later, attempting to fix mistakes from the past.

This approach also lets Sarnoff bring two books to life each season—they’re already working on Season 2. She explains, “It was crucial for the show to keep moving forward, and I wanted to be able to jump ahead in the story with each episode.”

The first season draws from two Kay Scarpetta novels: Cornwell’s first book, ‘Postmortem,’ and her twenty-fifth, ‘Autopsy,’ published in 2021. This approach required casting several actresses to play Scarpetta at different stages of her life, with one taking the central role. Nicole Kidman quickly agreed to participate after reading the initial script, becoming both the lead actress and an executive producer on the show.

Nicole Kidman says her sister loves the books and finds crime stories very comforting. Her sister strongly encouraged her to take the role, and Kidman says she always values her sister’s opinion.

McEwen, like Kidman, is represented by the same agent and plays a younger version of the Scarpetta character. According to Sarnoff, the two actresses share a striking resemblance and similar emotional depth. Both are very expressive, and it’s fascinating to watch them both process things – you can read their thoughts in their eyes.

Before filming began in Nashville in October 2024, the cast spent a month doing in-depth research for their roles. Nicole Kidman and director John McEwen specifically worked with forensic pathologist Dr. Amy Hawes to understand how autopsies are performed and what drives people to become medical examiners.

Kidman explains that she focused on learning the procedures for handling a crime scene. She wanted to understand how autopsies are performed, what evidence investigators search for, and the motivations behind becoming a medical examiner.

The research helped lend authenticity to their roles.

McEwen explained they aimed to realistically portray the emotional impact of working with deceased individuals daily – the psychological toll, what those professionals carry with them, and how they cope. They were meticulous in their approach, ensuring everything was accurate and avoiding any procedural errors that forensic experts might notice. Their goal was complete authenticity; they didn’t want any medical examiner watching the show and finding anything unbelievable or inaccurate.

Kidman felt empowered to interpret the character as she saw fit. Before filming, author Cornwell gave her full creative license, telling her, “You can’t make any wrong choices – you are her.”

Kidman described the experience as amazing. She explained that for an actor who’s built a character from the ground up, it was powerful when the previous actor playing the role, Patricia, said she could only connect with the character through writing now. Kidman felt it was like Patricia was handing the role over to her, and she considered that a generous gift, as Patricia had truly become the character, Kay.

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To celebrate receiving a lifetime achievement award from the American Film Institute, the actress reflects on her experience filming one of her most famous and important roles.

The first season features a twisting plot where Scarpetta and Detective Pete Marino investigate a string of murders potentially committed by a serial killer. While working hard to advance her career in a challenging, male-dominated field, Scarpetta also navigates a complex personal life, including a possible romance with FBI agent Benton Wesley and a close relationship with her tech-savvy niece, Lucy.

Now married, Kay Scarpetta and Benton return to her hometown in Virginia, where a recent murder echoes a case from her past. Meanwhile, Scarpetta’s sister Dorothy is married to Marino, and they’re both living with Lucy on Scarpetta’s large property.

Cornwell reviewed the scripts, but gave Sarnoff the freedom to shape the story. A key change involves how the death of Scarpetta’s father affects her life. In the new series, she sees her father murdered as a child, which is much more traumatic than the novels, where he dies from cancer. This shift gives the character a stronger and more compelling reason to pursue her career.

Nicole Kidman explains that her character is driven by a strong need to be correct and to correct injustices. She also makes errors and feels compelled to fix them. This stems from a deep-seated desire for control, which manifests as quiet determination and inner strength. While powerful, Kay keeps her feelings and struggles private.

McEwen explains that people often think power comes from being assertive and making a lot of noise. However, watching Nicole made him realize true power is found in calmness and composure. He believes she’s developing this strength, noting that while he tends to react quickly, the real strength lies in pausing to consider your response before acting – and that’s how she’s navigating life.

The two different time periods in the show were filmed at the same time. Production happened in two-episode segments and mostly followed a chronological order, with David Gordon Green and Charlotte Brändström directing. The actors would review each other’s footage, and sometimes McEwen would watch Nicole Kidman perform. Several weeks of rehearsal beforehand allowed McEwen and Kidman to create consistent performances, and they also worked with Kidman’s dialect coach to help achieve this.

Kidman explains they were focusing on different aspects of the character’s life, specifically, ‘What habits or behaviors have remained consistent as she’s aged?’ She was interested in the unchanging emotional patterns, comforts, and core personality traits. According to Kidman, any changes in the character were deliberate choices she made.

McEwen explains that she initially relied on small cues from Nicole, which were very beneficial. However, after about a month, she had to let go and trust in the work they’d done together. She realized she couldn’t constantly second-guess things or try to predict the future, as it’s impossible to know what will happen down the line.

Kidman explains that a huge amount of preparation is needed before she can truly let go and immerse herself in a role. It requires intense focus and self-discipline, but also the capacity to be emotionally open and react authentically to each scene as it unfolds.

Throughout most of filming, the director, Sarnoff, kept the last episode a secret from the actors, partly because she was still figuring out how it would end. By the sixth episode, she knew exactly how each storyline would conclude, including the final scene. The intense closing sequence, where Scarpetta is pursued through her house by the killer, was shot on the very last day. The reveal is a complete surprise, and according to Kidman, viewers need to pay close attention to every detail, as even the smallest clues are important.

According to Sarnoff, it was crucial for Kay to start Season 1 driven and determined to succeed. However, by the season’s end, she’s completely heartbroken – it’s a very difficult situation. This led Sarnoff to ask, ‘Who could have committed the murder, and how would that be a personal betrayal for Kay?’ Sarnoff also notes that Patricia’s stories tend to resolve quickly, and a fast resolution wouldn’t be satisfying in a finale – audiences expect a large, impactful conclusion.

The story ends on a shocking and suspenseful note, and the aftermath is difficult for Scarpetta and her loved ones. Her daughter Dorothy and Marino have moved away, she’s separated from Benton, and Lucy is estranged from her aunt.

Kidman explains that the show depicts both the darkness of crime and the strength of family bonds. However, she notes that, ultimately, the family falls apart, leaving everyone isolated. It’s a story about a family’s emotional arc that leads to complete devastation.

McEwen says what makes the show unique is its level of scientific detail and its humanity.

It’s really great to see a female character whose main focus isn’t finding a partner. While romance eventually comes into her life, her priority is her work. She’s ambitious and determined, and I enjoy seeing that kind of character portrayed on television.

This show is captivating for two reasons: its strong female lead and the fact that it was largely created by women.

Curtis points out that the project is remarkable because of its overwhelmingly female leadership and cast. The books are by a woman, a woman is the showrunner, and two women produced it. The show stars and centers around women – a whole family of them, including a queer child – and boasts a largely female crew and post-production team. Curtis believes this represents real progress in the industry.

Prime Video originally approved “Scarpetta” for two seasons. The second season will combine the storylines from the novels “Cruel and Unusual” (1993) and “The Body Farm” (1994).

Starting the first season felt really overwhelming,” Sarnoff explains. “It was uncertain who would stand out, what the show would become, or how the actors would perform. Now that we’ve done it once, we have a much better understanding, and everyone is eager to start again.

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2026-03-11 13:32