Hulu’s The Girl From Plainville Cast Re-enacts A Real-Life Tragedy

This story discusses self-harm, suicide ideation, and death by suicide. If you or someone you know is considering self-harm or experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, text HOME to the Crisis Text Line, or reach out to the Trans Lifeline, the Trevor Lifeline, or your local suicide crisis center.

Hulu’s latest series based on a true story is The Girl From Plainville, which recounts the events leading up to 17-year-old Conrad Roy's 2014 death in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, as well as his girlfriend Michelle Carter’s trial and conviction for involuntary manslaughter.

Roy’s body was found on July 13, 2014, and investigators soon discovered more than 1,000 recent text messages between him and Carter, who repeatedly encouraged her boyfriend to die by suicide. Click through for photos of The Girl From Plainville cast and their real-life counterparts.

Elle Fanning stars as Carter, who’d been dating Roy for roughly two years when he passed. She was convicted of the crime due to a final phone call with Roy, during which she encouraged him to attempt suicide despite him feeling scared.

Both individuals reportedly experienced mental health struggles in the years leading up to the 18-year-old’s death. Carter allegedly developed an eating disorder before she was 10 and had scars on her body believed to come from self-harm.

Colton Ryan plays Roy, who’d reportedly experienced abuse from family members throughout his childhood and made a nonfatal suicide attempt at 12. Carter initially encouraged him to seek help from mental health professionals before she changed her tune.

In June 2014, Roy reportedly texted Carter with an idea to re-enact the events of Romeo and Juliet and made sure she was aware it meant they’d both attempt suicide. A month later, Roy was found unconscious.

Cara Buono and Kai Lennox portray Carter’s parents, Gail and David, respectively. “Our hearts have and remain broken for the Roy family… [but] our daughter, she is not the villain the media’s portraying her to be,” read a public statement released by the real-life couple in 2015.

Following her 2017 conviction, David wrote an emotional letter to the judge pleading for a merciful sentence. “I pray to God you will take into consideration that Michelle was a troubled, vulnerable teenager in an extremely difficult situation and made a tragic mistake.”

Chloë Sevigny plays Roy’s mother, Lynn, who gave an interview to CBS’ 48 Hours amid the 2017 trial. “I don’t believe she has a conscience,” she said of Carter. “I think she needs to be held responsible for her actions ’cause she knew exactly what she was doing and what she said.”

Ahead of The Girl From Plainville’s premiere, Lynn told People despite reportedly speaking to the series’ creators throughout the production process, Hulu’s focus on Carter leaves her concerned “there may be an attempt to defend some of her needless and evil actions.”

Norbert Leo Butz appears as Roy’s father, also named Conrad, who delivered a brief statement following Carter’s conviction: “This has been a very tough time for our family, and we’d like to process this verdict that we’re happy with.”

“Conrad, he was a sweet boy that lost his way... He was just so, so happy until he became depressed,” his father recently told People, noting that Carter’s conviction ultimately “doesn’t matter” to him. “Nothing’s going to bring my son back.”