Amanda Seyfried has been cast alongside Tom Holland in The Crowded Room, an upcoming anthology series for Apple TV Plus.
The new series, created by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, will feature inspirational stories about individuals who have overcome their struggles and successfully learned to live with mental illness. Season one draws inspiration from Goldman’s own personal experiences and the Daniel Keyes biography The Minds of Billy Milligan (H/T The Hollywood Reporter (opens in new tab)).
Holland, who also serves as an executive producer, stars as Danny Sullivan, a character loosely based on the real-life Billy Milligan, the first ever person to be acquitted of a crime due to Multiple Personality Disorder (now known as Dissociative Identity Disorder or DID). Seyfried will play Rya, a clinical psychologist tasked with the most difficult challenge of her career, all while trying to balance life as a single mother.
The show’s initial announcement caused controversy among the DID community, with some fearing the series will further demonize those who live with the disorder. This resulted in an online petition (opens in new tab) being started in efforts to cancel the show.
Kornel Mundruczo, director of Canadian-American drama Pieces of a Woman, is set to direct and executive produce the first season.
Seyfried recently received an Academy Award nomination for her role as Marion Davies in David Fincher’s black-and-white drama Mank. She stars as disgraced Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes in Hulu’s new drama, The Dropout.
For more, check out our list of the 100 best TV shows of all time.