Apple TV+ [1] new TV show lineup is stacked for 2022. The streaming service continues to grow its original content offering alongside competitor services like Netflix and Hulu, including shows like the acclaimed comedy series "Ted Lasso [2]" and the upcoming historical drama series "Pachinko." A highly anticipated series coming to the streamer is "The Crowded Room," which is partially based on "The Minds of Billy Milligan," the true-crime novel by Daniel Keyes.
At the centre of "The Crowded Room" is Danny Sullivan (Tom Holland [3]), a character loosely based on the real-life Billy Milligan, who suffered from dissociative identity disorder and was the first person to be acquitted of a crime for the reason of insanity [4]. In real life, Milligan was arrested and charged with the robbery, kidnapping, and rape of three women in 1977. Following a lengthy psychiatric evaluation, it was determined that Milligan had 24 alternate personalities, which would eventually deem him not guilty of his crimes.
The anthology series is set to stun viewers with a captivating storyline as well as a star-studded cast. Read on to learn more about the cast of "The Crowded Room."
Tom Holland as Danny Sullivan
In the series, Tom Holland [5] will play Danny Sullivan, a complicated man dealing with severe mental illness. Holland is known for several roles, most recently Nate Drake in "Uncharted [6]" and, most notably, Peter Parker in the "Spiderman" film series [7].
When asked if he was going to take a break following his back-to-back film roles, Holland couldn't overstate how excited he was about his latest role to CinePop [8]. "I am going back to shoot a TV show for Apple, which I'm really excited about. It's a very, very challenging role… Written by the amazing Akiva Goldsman, I think the script is one of the best I've ever read, so I'm really, really excited to do that," he said.
Amanda Seyfried as Rya
"Mamma Mia [9]" star Amanda Seyfried [10] will play Rya, a clinical psychologist that works with Danny Sullivan throughout his criminal trial. No stranger to television series based on real life, Amanda Seyfried [11] is the lead character of the upcoming Hulu series, "The Dropout," as disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes [12].
Emmy Rossum as Candy
Emmy Rossum [13] will play Candy, the mother of Danny Sullivan. Rossum has an extensive film and television career, and is most known for her raw role as Fiona Gallagher in the acclaimed series "Shameless [14]."
Rossum's casting has stirred polarising opinions from many on social media. The actress, 35, is only 10 years older than Tom Holland [15], who is playing her son, leaving fans to wonder how the casting could possibly work on screen. "Roswell: New Mexico" and "The Originals" writer Carina Adly Mackenzie proposed a good explanation for it [16], saying, "Guys — Emmy Rossum is playing Tom Holland's mom because the vast majority of her scenes are flashbacks to his character's very early childhood when he endured the trauma that caused his Dissociative Identity Disorder. It started before he was 5 years old."
Though details of her role have not been confirmed by the showrunners, it would definitely make more sense if this were the case.
Christopher Abbott as Stan
In the series, Christopher Abbott [17] is Stan, the lawyer of Danny Sullivan and a Vietnam war veteran. In real life, Gary Schweickart served as Billy Milligan's defence attorney, who could very well be an inspiration for the character of Stan. As details are continuing to emerge for the series, it is unknown what qualities Stan will share with Milligan's real-life attorney.
As for Christopher Abbott, he gained notoriety for his role as Captain John Yossarian in the Hulu series "Catch-22."
Sasha Lane as Ariana
Sasha Lane will play Ariana in "The Crowded Room," a close friend of Danny Sullivan who also struggles with a painful past. The actress has appeared in the Disney+ [18] series "Loki [19]" as well as the Amazon Prime series "Utopia."
Emma Laird as Isabel
You might recognise Emma Laird for her work as Iris in the Paramount+ series [20], "The Mayor of Kingstown [21]." The up-and-coming actress will play Isabel, a friend of Danny Sullivan from high school who connects with him and sees him differently than others.