Take a Look at the ‘Love & Death’ Cast vs. the IRL People They Play
I think I’ve seen this case before, and I didn’t like the ending.
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I want (another) Candy. True crime fans, Marvel fans, Lily Rabe fans: Unite! HBO Max is giving us a new iteration of the famous Candy Montgomery case following last year’s Hulu series starring Jessica Biel. Love & Death, starring Elizabeth Olsen, Jesse Plemons, and Lily Rabe, comes from writer David E. Kelley (widely considered to be one of the greatest television writers and showrunners of all time, NBD). Kelley is the name behind Doogie Howser, Ally McBeal, Big Little Lies, Big Sky, and The Undoing.
If you’ve never heard of Candy Montgomery, be it Hulu’s version or HBO’s version, here’s your crash course. In 1980, Candy was accused of murdering her friend Betty Gore, who was struck more than 40 times with an axe. Prior to Betty’s death, Candy and Betty’s husband Allan Gore started an affair. Candy was arrested and stood trial, arguing she was acting in self-defense and alleging that Betty attacked her after learning of the affair. In October 1980, Candy was found not guilty, a verdict that remains hotly contested in the true crime community. What’s unique about Love & Death is its confidence. Based on the book Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs, this adaptation makes its message clear: This is a true story.
The first episode of Love & Death drops April 27 on HBO Max. The first three episodes will be available right away, with new episodes dropping weekly until May 25. Before you cue up episode 1 though, let’s meet the names and faces at play here.
Elizabeth Olsen as Candy Montgomery
In a rare departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where the actor has been working since 2018, Elizabeth Olsen is taking Candy Montgomery for a spin. Following Jessica Biel’s version of Candy last year, Elizabeth gives us an antagonist who is, if nothing else, bored (to death) and ready to detonate a bomb in her own life.
Candy Montgomery in 1980
In 1977, Candy Montgomery met Betty and Allan Gore at church in Collin County, Texas. The 30-year-old mother of two soon began an affair with Allan, kicking off a downward spiral ending in the brutal murder of Betty, who was struck with an axe more than 40 times. In October of 1980, Candy stood for trial and was ultimately found not guilty.
Lily Rabe and Jesse Plemons as Betty and Allan Gore
No stranger to murder (she is an American Horror Story alum, after all), Lily has found herself under the axe. She plays Betty Gore, who was murdered in 1980. Beyond Love & Death, Lily is currently stealing screens as Meg on Apple TV+’s dark comedy Shrinking.
Jesse Plemons plays Allan Gore, one half of the extramarital affair that led to the death of Betty. From his early beginnings as Landry Clark in Friday Night Lights, Jesse has risen to fame as one of the most talented working character actors in the game. He’s the proud winner of two Emmy nominations, one for Fargo and the other for Black Mirror, as well as an Oscar nom for his role in The Power of the Dog.
Betty and Allan Gore
College sweethearts Betty and Allan Gore married in 1970. The couple had two daughters before moving to Wylie, Texas, where their romance would end in bloodshed. Betty, a middle school teacher, met her best friend and eventual betrayer Candy Montgomery at church in Collin County, Texas, in 1977. Allan and Candy connected at a church-sponsored volleyball game, beginning their affair in 1978. In a 1984 Texas Monthly profile, Allan was described as “a small, plain man with horn-rim glasses and puffy cheeks and, even at a young age, signs of a receding hairline.” Brutal.
Patrick Fugit as Pat Montgomery
You may recognize this face from the absolutely biblical film Almost Famous; Patrick Fugit rose to fame as the meek young lead of the film, William Miller. Today, he’s returning to our screens as Pat Montgomery, the husband of accused killer Candy Montgomery.
Pat Montgomery in 1980
Pat and Candy Montgomery’s love story began in the office, Pat an electrical engineer and Candy a secretary. The pair married in the early 1970s and moved to Wylie, Texas, in 1977.
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