How Jessica Biel 'Legitimized' New Facebook Watch Series Limetown, According To The Creator
In the new Facebook Watch series Limetown, Jessica Biel stars in the lead role of Lia Haddock. The television show is an adaptation of the popular scripted podcast series of the same name. In the show, Biel’s Lia is trying to solve a devastating mystery. What happened to hundreds of people who vanished from a Tennessee neuroscience research facility?
A journalist with a personal connection to the case, Jessica Biel’s Lia is determined to find out the answer. Limetown marks Biel’s first television show since Season 1 of USA’s gripping 2017 crime drama, The Sinner. She'd tackled that series long after her star-making turn in 7th Heaven and a stream of movie roles.
Now the actress is taking the lead in one of the many podcast adaptations that are all the rage nowadays. How did Limetown’s creators know that Jessica Biel was the right fit to play Lia Haddock? Co-creator Zack Akers told me:
It makes sense that having a lead actor already familiar with their character would be an edge. As curious minds can see in the arresting trailer for the Facebook Watch series, Limetown finds Jessica Biel’s Lia sifting through a twisty journey. When Biel expressed interest in the project, it became clear she had the insight necessary to carry the show.
Jessica Biel’s commitment and level of interest in the character of Lia Haddock and the Limetown universe were considerable. The Limetown podcast had premiered back in 2015. A second season bowed last October. Jessica Biel came into her first meeting with Limetown’s creators with apt knowledge of the show’s lead character. Zack Aker continued, saying:
Jessica Biel’s dedication and insight into the role also impressed Limetown co-creator, Skip Bronkie. Lia Haddock is the lead character the series follows. However, she remains an enigmatic force as the series gets underway. Like Zack Aker, Bronkie was also intrigued by how intensely Biel already had a beat on the character, in early conversations. Bronkie said:
What insights did Jessica Biel share about her would-be Limetown character? Quite a few things. From how her mind worked to how she operated, Biel had thought about Lia a lot, and she shared her thorough observations with Limetown’s creators. Series co-creator Skip Bronkie continued, saying:
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Jessica Biel’s understanding of Lia Haddock did not end there! Biel did not just have a feel for what kind of a person Lia would be. She also shared a very specific illustration of something she thought that the Limetown character would be capable of doing. It was an insight that sealed the deal for Limetown co-creator, Skip Bronkie, who continued saying:
Jessica Biel’s revelatory insights helped pave the way forward with Limetown’s creators knowing she was the one to play Lia Haddock. Viewers will soon get their chance to see Biel inhabit the emotional role. The series’ launch is imminent, and the half-hour drama will kick off its run with two episodes.
Limetown premieres Wednesday, October 16, at 3 p.m. ET on Facebook Watch as part of this fall’s premieres.
Like a contented Hallmark movie character, Britt happily lives in the same city she grew up in. Along with movies and television, she is passionate about competitive figure skating. She has been writing about entertainment for 5 years, and as you may suspect, still finds it as entertaining to do as when she began.
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