“The truth is, I knew nothing about the real story,” reveals “A Friend of the Family” director and producer Eliza Hittman. “So I came to it really with fresh eyes. I received the script from the writer, showrunner Nick Antosca, and it was just so exceptionally written, and the characters were so vivid on the page, and the world was so beautifully rendered that I just kind of devoured the script immediately.” We talked to Hittman as part of our “Meet the Experts” TV directors panel. Watch our exclusive video interview above. Click the Cc button on the video for closed captioning subtitles.
SEEInterviews with top Emmy contenders
“A Friend of the Family” tells the disturbing true story of Jan Broberg (played at different ages by Mckenna Grace and Hendrix Yancey), who in the 1970s was abducted multiple times by Robert Berchtold (played by Jake Lacy), a neighbor who had...
SEEInterviews with top Emmy contenders
“A Friend of the Family” tells the disturbing true story of Jan Broberg (played at different ages by Mckenna Grace and Hendrix Yancey), who in the 1970s was abducted multiple times by Robert Berchtold (played by Jake Lacy), a neighbor who had...
- 5/22/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
In 2021, 15-year-old Mckenna Grace broke new ground as the first child ever nominated for a guest acting Emmy. The notice came for her performance as Esther Keyes on Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which could bring her another Best Drama Guest Actress bid this year. She also currently has a shot at a nomination for Best Movie/Limited Supporting Actress for Peacock’s “A Friend of the Family,” which would make her the all-time youngest performer with mentions in multiple Emmy categories.
Grace, whose 17th birthday will precede the 2023 Emmy nominations announcement by 17 days, appears on “A Friend of the Family” as Jan Broberg, a future actress who was kidnapped at ages 12 and 14 by her neighbor, Robert Berchtold. The true crime series also stars Jake Lacy as Berchtold and Colin Hanks and Anna Paquin as Broberg’s parents. (Watch our exclusive video interview with Grace.)
SEEWill ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ extend...
Grace, whose 17th birthday will precede the 2023 Emmy nominations announcement by 17 days, appears on “A Friend of the Family” as Jan Broberg, a future actress who was kidnapped at ages 12 and 14 by her neighbor, Robert Berchtold. The true crime series also stars Jake Lacy as Berchtold and Colin Hanks and Anna Paquin as Broberg’s parents. (Watch our exclusive video interview with Grace.)
SEEWill ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ extend...
- 5/3/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
A Friend of the Family showrunner-creator Nick Antosca, stars Lio Tipton and Colin Hanks and activist and producer Jan Broberg, on whose life the series is based, joined Deadline’s Contenders Television to spotlight sexual-abuse awareness.
The Peacock true-crime drama series follows Robert Berchtold (Jake Lacy), a serial child kidnapper. After becoming close friends with the Broberg family, Berchtold kidnaps their daughter Jan (played by both Mckenna Grace and Hendrix Yancey) twice within the span of two years. Anna Paquin, Austin Stowell and Patrick Fischler also star.
During the panel, Broberg, whose harrowing life experience has been recounted multiple times across books and documentaries, made a passionate statement regarding the importance of the serialized drama series. “I’ve been telling my story for 30 years, never on purpose, never thinking this would happen, but just because I knew that by telling our stories, maybe we could help future children not experience this,...
The Peacock true-crime drama series follows Robert Berchtold (Jake Lacy), a serial child kidnapper. After becoming close friends with the Broberg family, Berchtold kidnaps their daughter Jan (played by both Mckenna Grace and Hendrix Yancey) twice within the span of two years. Anna Paquin, Austin Stowell and Patrick Fischler also star.
During the panel, Broberg, whose harrowing life experience has been recounted multiple times across books and documentaries, made a passionate statement regarding the importance of the serialized drama series. “I’ve been telling my story for 30 years, never on purpose, never thinking this would happen, but just because I knew that by telling our stories, maybe we could help future children not experience this,...
- 4/16/2023
- by Destiny Jackson
- Deadline Film + TV
Alison Brie and Jake Lacy have joined the cast of Peacock’s upcoming limited series adaptation of the Liane Moriarty novel “Apples Never Fall,” Variety has learned.
The pair join previously announced cast members Annette Bening and Sam Neill in the series. The show was originally ordered at Peacock in February 2022.
Per the official logline, the series “centers on the Delaneys, who from the outside appear to be an enviably contented family. Former tennis coaches Joy (Bening) and Stan (Neill) are parents to four adult children. After decades of marriage, they have finally sold their famed tennis academy and are ready to start what should be the golden years of their lives. But after Joy disappears, her children are forced to re-examine their parents’ marriage and their family history with fresh eyes.”
Brie will star as Amy Delaney, the oldest Delaney child. The character is further described as “the black sheep of the family.
The pair join previously announced cast members Annette Bening and Sam Neill in the series. The show was originally ordered at Peacock in February 2022.
Per the official logline, the series “centers on the Delaneys, who from the outside appear to be an enviably contented family. Former tennis coaches Joy (Bening) and Stan (Neill) are parents to four adult children. After decades of marriage, they have finally sold their famed tennis academy and are ready to start what should be the golden years of their lives. But after Joy disappears, her children are forced to re-examine their parents’ marriage and their family history with fresh eyes.”
Brie will star as Amy Delaney, the oldest Delaney child. The character is further described as “the black sheep of the family.
- 2/23/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
This interview with “A Friend of the Family” production designer John D. Kretschmer first appeared in the Below-the-Line issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
A miniseries created by Nick Antosca (“Channel Zero”), “A Friend of the Family” deals with the charming but sinister Robert Berchtold (Jake Lacy), who spent years seducing, brainwashing and eventually kidnapping — twice — a young Idaho girl, Jan Broberg (played by Hendrix Yancey and Mckenna Grace at different ages). The story “is pretty much a gut punch,” production designer John D. Kretschmer said. “However, this family survived, and they are still alive and happy and a loving family today. That makes them very intriguing, and I thought (it was) very much a story that needs to be told.”
“A Friend of the Family” (Peacock)
Kretschmer and his team wanted to honor the Broberg family, right down to re-creating their Pocatello Idaho home. They did so in Atlanta,...
A miniseries created by Nick Antosca (“Channel Zero”), “A Friend of the Family” deals with the charming but sinister Robert Berchtold (Jake Lacy), who spent years seducing, brainwashing and eventually kidnapping — twice — a young Idaho girl, Jan Broberg (played by Hendrix Yancey and Mckenna Grace at different ages). The story “is pretty much a gut punch,” production designer John D. Kretschmer said. “However, this family survived, and they are still alive and happy and a loving family today. That makes them very intriguing, and I thought (it was) very much a story that needs to be told.”
“A Friend of the Family” (Peacock)
Kretschmer and his team wanted to honor the Broberg family, right down to re-creating their Pocatello Idaho home. They did so in Atlanta,...
- 1/5/2023
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Emmy nominee Jake Lacy (The White Lotus) is set to star opposite Kiefer Sutherland in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, Deadline has learned. He is set to portray Stephen Maryk, Queeg’s (Sutherland) executive officer aboard Caine, and the officer who relieved Queeg of duty.
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial is an update on the 1953 play by Herman Wouk, itself an adaptation of his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Caine Mutiny. It hails from Paramount Global Content Distribution for Showtime.
The original story follows a naval officer who stands trial for mutiny after taking command from a ship captain he feels is acting in unstable fashion, endangering both the ship and its crew. While the original is set during World War II, the new project is being updated by director William Friedkin.
“The original piece was written for WWII, and Wouk included all the pent-up anger in this country over Pearl Harbor,...
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial is an update on the 1953 play by Herman Wouk, itself an adaptation of his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Caine Mutiny. It hails from Paramount Global Content Distribution for Showtime.
The original story follows a naval officer who stands trial for mutiny after taking command from a ship captain he feels is acting in unstable fashion, endangering both the ship and its crew. While the original is set during World War II, the new project is being updated by director William Friedkin.
“The original piece was written for WWII, and Wouk included all the pent-up anger in this country over Pearl Harbor,...
- 12/13/2022
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
The act of wondering how people can appear to be so decent and kind only to reveal themselves to be diabolical and evil is a constant lesson that many people have to learn in this world since the truth is that there are many people who hide away the monsters they really are. The true story of Jan Boberg is one that many people might have no knowledge of, but after watching this documentary, it might be preferred since what was done to her makes it clear that her abductor, Robert Berchtold, was the type of guy that could convince
Documentary Review: A Friend of the Family: True Evil...
Documentary Review: A Friend of the Family: True Evil...
- 12/6/2022
- by Tom Foster
- TVovermind.com
Click here to read the full article.
In Peacock’s A Friend of the Family, Jake Lacy plays Bob “B” Berchtold, a man who befriends a Midwestern Mormon family in the 1970s, only to kidnap their young daughter Jan not just once, but twice. It would be an unbelievable story if it weren’t true: Jan Broberg’s story was previously chronicled in the 2017 documentary Abducted in Plain Sight.
For Lacy, playing a kidnapper and pedophile was an emotional challenge for the actor, particularly given the ages of his victim: Jan was 12 and 14 when she was kidnapped. Hendrix Yancey, now 11, and Mckenna Grace, 16, play Jan at the different ages, while the real Jan Broberg and her mother, Mary Ann, were often on set as they served as producers on the limited series.
“It’s so selfless for them to say, ‘We want this story told so that people understand what...
In Peacock’s A Friend of the Family, Jake Lacy plays Bob “B” Berchtold, a man who befriends a Midwestern Mormon family in the 1970s, only to kidnap their young daughter Jan not just once, but twice. It would be an unbelievable story if it weren’t true: Jan Broberg’s story was previously chronicled in the 2017 documentary Abducted in Plain Sight.
For Lacy, playing a kidnapper and pedophile was an emotional challenge for the actor, particularly given the ages of his victim: Jan was 12 and 14 when she was kidnapped. Hendrix Yancey, now 11, and Mckenna Grace, 16, play Jan at the different ages, while the real Jan Broberg and her mother, Mary Ann, were often on set as they served as producers on the limited series.
“It’s so selfless for them to say, ‘We want this story told so that people understand what...
- 11/26/2022
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jan Broberg Felt, the real-life woman at the heart of Peacock’s narrative series “A Friend of the Family,” wants people to realize her story could happen to anyone. Throughout the series’ nine episodes, audiences have watched Jan Broberg (played as a child by Hendrix Yancey and a teen by McKenna Grace) grow up as the groomed, manipulated victim of pedophile Robert Berchtold (Jake Lacy). And yet, for as wild as the story is, the real Broberg Felt reiterates everything was true.
For her, it was the key reason she decided to tell her story in a narrative format, after participating in a 2017 documentary called “Abducted in Plain Sight.” It was “telling the story in a way where you could be drawn into the characters, where you could see the psychology of a groomer, of a predator, and how they operate and lead not just the child, but lead the whole orbit around the child,...
For her, it was the key reason she decided to tell her story in a narrative format, after participating in a 2017 documentary called “Abducted in Plain Sight.” It was “telling the story in a way where you could be drawn into the characters, where you could see the psychology of a groomer, of a predator, and how they operate and lead not just the child, but lead the whole orbit around the child,...
- 11/11/2022
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
Peacock retold the story of Jan Broberg and her abuser Robert Berchtold in the series "A Friend of the Family." Now, the real Broberg is speaking out in a new documentary from the streamer titled "A Friend of the Family: True Evil." The new documentary features Broberg confronting her story and interviews with her mother, Mary Ann Broberg. More than 50 years ago, Jan was kidnapped and abused by a family friend, Berchtold, who had affairs with both her parents in order to cover up his actions.
"Many harmed by child sexual assault and long-term abuse are still striving to heal and thrive years later," Broberg said in a statement. "Through support and community, the healing journey of 'Thrivivors' can create a ripple effect towards change for children, and I am grateful to Peacock for the opportunity to continue telling my story. It is my hope that with greater awareness and...
"Many harmed by child sexual assault and long-term abuse are still striving to heal and thrive years later," Broberg said in a statement. "Through support and community, the healing journey of 'Thrivivors' can create a ripple effect towards change for children, and I am grateful to Peacock for the opportunity to continue telling my story. It is my hope that with greater awareness and...
- 11/3/2022
- by Victoria Edel
- Popsugar.com
If you’re watching Peacock’s new limited series “A Friend of the Family,” you’re undoubtedly doing so in disbelief. Following the lives of the Brobergs, an Idaho family whose eldest daughter, Jan, is twice kidnapped by a family friend, the series is heartbreaking and wild. So wild, in fact, that the real-life Jan Broberg introduces the premiere episode, seemingly in part to dispel claims the story is heavily fictionalized. It’s easy to see why if you’re familiar with the 2017 documentary “Abducted in Plain Sight,” which detailed the same story.
“Abducted in Plain Sight” tells the story in a far more matter-of-fact manner than the Peacock series, which ends each episode with a disclaimer that some events are included for dramatic effect (though it’s unclear how the story could become more dramatic). So what has been added? Let’s look at what “A Friend of the...
“Abducted in Plain Sight” tells the story in a far more matter-of-fact manner than the Peacock series, which ends each episode with a disclaimer that some events are included for dramatic effect (though it’s unclear how the story could become more dramatic). So what has been added? Let’s look at what “A Friend of the...
- 10/20/2022
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
"Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story" is the latest true-crime dramatization to feature a famously good-looking actor as an infamous murderer. Evan Peters stars as the titular real-life serial killer in the September 2022 release, following the likes of Ross Lynch as Dahmer in 2017's "My Friend Dahmer," Zac Efron as Ted Bundy in 2019's "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile," and many others. But despite its high production value, successful ratings, and supposed aim to educate its audience, the series is sparking long overdue conversations about how true-crime dramatizations tend to capitalize on shock value, exploit victims while romanticizing perpetrators, and ultimately do more harm than good.
Jeffrey Dahmer was a serial killer who murdered 17 young men and boys between 1978 and 1991. He sought out his victims - mostly Black, Latino, and Asian men - at gay bars, bus stops, and malls, luring them into his home and drugging them before strangling them to death.
Jeffrey Dahmer was a serial killer who murdered 17 young men and boys between 1978 and 1991. He sought out his victims - mostly Black, Latino, and Asian men - at gay bars, bus stops, and malls, luring them into his home and drugging them before strangling them to death.
- 10/14/2022
- by Hannah Resnick
- Popsugar.com
If you are a fan of Netflix's true-crime content, you most likely remember the kidnapping case of Jan Broberg examined in the 2017 documentary "Abducted in Plain Sight." The nature of Jan's kidnapping, as well as the emotional turmoil it caused the Broberg family, is a harrowing and deeply unsettling story that will make you question who you trust, no matter how close or friendly they may seem.
Following the documentary, Jan's case is once again being told, though this time through a dramatic lens in the Peacock series "A Friend of the Family," starring Colin Hanks, Anna Paquin, and Jake Lacy. Jan, along with her mother, Mary Ann Broberg, served as producers of the series, which premiered on Peacock on Oct. 6. Ahead, read all about what Jan is up to today.
Who Is Jan Broberg?
Born to Robert and Mary Ann Broberg on July 31, 1962, Jan grew up with her two younger sisters,...
Following the documentary, Jan's case is once again being told, though this time through a dramatic lens in the Peacock series "A Friend of the Family," starring Colin Hanks, Anna Paquin, and Jake Lacy. Jan, along with her mother, Mary Ann Broberg, served as producers of the series, which premiered on Peacock on Oct. 6. Ahead, read all about what Jan is up to today.
Who Is Jan Broberg?
Born to Robert and Mary Ann Broberg on July 31, 1962, Jan grew up with her two younger sisters,...
- 10/14/2022
- by Alicia Geigel
- Popsugar.com
Certain roles seem like they’d make an actor pause before signing on. And Jake Lacy notes he was asked whether playing pedophile Robert Berchtold, the man found to have kidnapped Jan Broberg Felt twice during her adolescent years, was a good idea. While speaking to IndieWire via Zoom, Lacy recounts how co-star Anna Paquin asked him if he or his representatives worried about him taking on the role. It’s a valid question, especially considering Lacy, prior to this year, has mostly been known for playing very sweet Good Guys.
But to hear Lacy recount the story, that was exactly what he was looking for from the part. “He [Berchtold] thinks he’s Steve McQueen,” Lacy said to IndieWire. “There’s so much to dive into. I get to be the force that changes the story.” He certainly does that. Playing Berchtold required Lacy to not only be despicable, but...
But to hear Lacy recount the story, that was exactly what he was looking for from the part. “He [Berchtold] thinks he’s Steve McQueen,” Lacy said to IndieWire. “There’s so much to dive into. I get to be the force that changes the story.” He certainly does that. Playing Berchtold required Lacy to not only be despicable, but...
- 10/13/2022
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
Mckenna Grace is grateful to not be playing the younger version of an older actor for a change. Grace plays Jan Broberg in Peacock's "A Friend of the Family," which premiered on Oct. 6 and tells the terrifying true story of Robert Berchtold, who kidnapped Broberg in 1974 and again in 1976.
The 16-year-old actor has played younger versions of many different characters over the years. She was the young version of Margot Robbie's Tonya Harding in "I, Tonya," Brie Larson's Carol Danvers in "Captain Marvel," and Annabelle Wallis's Madison Lake in "Malignant," to name a few. Finally, though, "A Friend of the Family" has allowed her to experience things from the other side.
"It was really special to finally have a younger version of myself," she tells Popsugar. "That was so cool. Hendrix [Yancey] on our show, who plays the younger ages of Jan, was so fun. She's so smart,...
The 16-year-old actor has played younger versions of many different characters over the years. She was the young version of Margot Robbie's Tonya Harding in "I, Tonya," Brie Larson's Carol Danvers in "Captain Marvel," and Annabelle Wallis's Madison Lake in "Malignant," to name a few. Finally, though, "A Friend of the Family" has allowed her to experience things from the other side.
"It was really special to finally have a younger version of myself," she tells Popsugar. "That was so cool. Hendrix [Yancey] on our show, who plays the younger ages of Jan, was so fun. She's so smart,...
- 10/12/2022
- by Eden Arielle Gordon
- Popsugar.com
True crime series continue to take up a lot of space on networks and streaming services thanks to our unwavering desire to investigate the truly horrendous and dark side of humanity. Sometimes these adaptations are impactful and other times they are underwhelming. But, when they are done well, they can be some of the best programming on the small screen. One such series is the new Peacock drama A Friend of the Family.
Based on the shocking true story of Jan Broberg, A Friend of the Family follows two Mormon families in Idaho who become very close. One of the fathers, Robert Berchtold, becomes infatuated with the eldest daughter of the other family. Over the course of decades, a sinister relationship develops that involves kidnapping, pedophilia, and much more. It is truly shocking to watch unfold and even more alarming as to how it was able to occur in the first place.
Based on the shocking true story of Jan Broberg, A Friend of the Family follows two Mormon families in Idaho who become very close. One of the fathers, Robert Berchtold, becomes infatuated with the eldest daughter of the other family. Over the course of decades, a sinister relationship develops that involves kidnapping, pedophilia, and much more. It is truly shocking to watch unfold and even more alarming as to how it was able to occur in the first place.
- 10/11/2022
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
The documentary to podcast to scripted series is now a familiar progression for those of us who can’t help but blast blue light into our eyes at night, plunging into one true crime rabbit hole or another instead of sleeping. It’s no longer enough to consume a real-life travesty just for the facts; we need to obsess over the really juicy ones from every angle, from the lurid to the topical to the philosophical.
The latest now-familiar story to make the final stop on the all-platforms content cycle — the A-list scripted limited series — is the story of Jan Broberg, who was kidnapped twice as a child by her neighbor Robert Berchtold, and is now chronicled in “A Friend of the Family.”
Skye Borgman’s Netflix documentary “Abducted In Plain Sight” first introduced this strange, maddening story to a mass audience, leaving viewers with outrage and righteous judgment, the...
The latest now-familiar story to make the final stop on the all-platforms content cycle — the A-list scripted limited series — is the story of Jan Broberg, who was kidnapped twice as a child by her neighbor Robert Berchtold, and is now chronicled in “A Friend of the Family.”
Skye Borgman’s Netflix documentary “Abducted In Plain Sight” first introduced this strange, maddening story to a mass audience, leaving viewers with outrage and righteous judgment, the...
- 10/6/2022
- by Stephan Lee
- The Wrap
Before Jake Lacy became Shane, the odious newlywed in last year’s smash-hit class satire The White Lotus, the 37-year-old actor was famous for playing nice guys. Not just good guys, but human beings so exceedingly pleasant in looks and affect that they could only be fiction.
In HBO’s Girls, for example, Lacy was Fran, the kindly schoolteacher who still offered Hannah a ride after she dumped him hundreds of miles from home. In the 2020 remake of High Fidelity, he played a harmless rock-climbing fanatic – the guy you date when you’re on the rebound from heartache.
Lacy thinks the nicest guy he ever played – I asked – was probably Ken from the film How to Be Single, a goofy one-night stand who coasts into unexpected fatherhood with uncanny aplomb. “But that’s a caricature almost,” Lacy says. “The idea of a nice guy.”
That said, the actor is incorrect.
In HBO’s Girls, for example, Lacy was Fran, the kindly schoolteacher who still offered Hannah a ride after she dumped him hundreds of miles from home. In the 2020 remake of High Fidelity, he played a harmless rock-climbing fanatic – the guy you date when you’re on the rebound from heartache.
Lacy thinks the nicest guy he ever played – I asked – was probably Ken from the film How to Be Single, a goofy one-night stand who coasts into unexpected fatherhood with uncanny aplomb. “But that’s a caricature almost,” Lacy says. “The idea of a nice guy.”
That said, the actor is incorrect.
- 10/6/2022
- by Amanda Whiting
- The Independent - TV
Plot: Inspired by the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of a few years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend”.
Review: There does not seem to be any end in sight for the current wave of true crime event series populating streaming services these days. While some are better than others, there are still some genuinely disturbing stories that have been told recently. Documentaries always have an advantage in the realm of true crime, but a well-made narrative series can chill you as much as entertain. A Friend of the Family, from producer Nick Antosca, is one of the most shocking and disturbing true crime stories I have ever heard and offers a well-made look at a story that is too crazy not to be true. With a great cast and the actual victim of the crime on board as a producer,...
Review: There does not seem to be any end in sight for the current wave of true crime event series populating streaming services these days. While some are better than others, there are still some genuinely disturbing stories that have been told recently. Documentaries always have an advantage in the realm of true crime, but a well-made narrative series can chill you as much as entertain. A Friend of the Family, from producer Nick Antosca, is one of the most shocking and disturbing true crime stories I have ever heard and offers a well-made look at a story that is too crazy not to be true. With a great cast and the actual victim of the crime on board as a producer,...
- 10/4/2022
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
The twisted real-life case of Jan Broberg, the Idaho youth abducted twice by a neighbor during the 1970s, drives the riveting nine-episode series A Friend of the Family. “What they lived through is so complex, so terrifying…it felt like a story that you needed to be immersed in over many hours to understand psychologically and emotionally,” says writer Nick Antosca, who executive produced the project. “Their experience was a slow burn.” (Broberg and her mother Mary Ann are producers.) Flack’s Anna Paquin and The Offer’s Colin Hanks star as the Broberg parents, who have no idea that Robert Berchtold (Jake Lacy of The White Lotus), the seemingly innocent Mormon next door, is obsessed with their daughter. Before they know it, Berchtold has not just infiltrated their marriage but also put into motion a plan that would find him kidnapping Jan at the age of 12 and ...
- 10/2/2022
- TV Insider
A Friend of the Family is coming soon to Peacock. The true crime drama follows Robert Berchtold as he kidnaps Jan Broberg -- again and again. The limited series will consist of nine episodes. Jake Lacy, Anna Paquin, Colin Hanks, Lio Tipton, Hendrix Yancey, Mckenna Grace, Austin Stowell, Patrick Fischler, Bree Elrod, and Philip Ettinger star in the series which arrives in October.
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- 9/14/2022
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Peacock has released a new trailer for the upcoming limited series "A Friend of the Family." It's based on the true story of the manipulation of the Broberg family in the 1970s and the grooming and multiple kidnappings of Jan Broberg by child predator Robert Berchtold.
If the names sound familiar, there's a reason for that. Not only did the real-life case get a book treatment from Mary Anne Broberg and Jan Broberg entitled "Stolen Innocence: The Jan Broberg Story," but it was made into the 2019 true crime documentary "Abducted in Plain Sight" that aired on Netflix.
The series follows the Brobergs through the relationship each of the parents and Jan had with Berchtold, the grooming, the wild stories he told her, and the kidnappings. I'm warning you now; it's hard to watch if you know what's coming.
"A Friend of the Family" stars Academy Award-winner Anna Paquin as Mary Anne Broberg,...
If the names sound familiar, there's a reason for that. Not only did the real-life case get a book treatment from Mary Anne Broberg and Jan Broberg entitled "Stolen Innocence: The Jan Broberg Story," but it was made into the 2019 true crime documentary "Abducted in Plain Sight" that aired on Netflix.
The series follows the Brobergs through the relationship each of the parents and Jan had with Berchtold, the grooming, the wild stories he told her, and the kidnappings. I'm warning you now; it's hard to watch if you know what's coming.
"A Friend of the Family" stars Academy Award-winner Anna Paquin as Mary Anne Broberg,...
- 9/13/2022
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
Not everyone is a good person. Some people have darkness lurking in them that drives them to commit unspeakable acts. These people could be your family, co-workers, and friends. People change behind closed doors, but some monsters refuse to remain hidden when an object of desire threatens to escape their grasp. In Peacock’s A Friend of the Family trailer, the Broberg family discovers an unfathomable secret about a friend who feels more like an extended family member.
According to Peacock, A Friend of the Family is “based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of a few years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. This...
According to Peacock, A Friend of the Family is “based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of a few years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. This...
- 9/13/2022
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Peacock’s debuted an official trailer for the limited true crime series A Friend of the Family starring Colin Hanks and Anna Paquin. The nine-episode drama is based on a bizarre true story, and the trailer introduces the key players including the titular friend of the family who turns out to be a complete psychopath.
The cast also includes Jake Lacy, Lio Tipton, Mckenna Grace, and Hendrix Yancey. Nick Antosca serves as writer, executive producer, and showrunner, with the real kidnap victim at the heart of the story – Jan Broberg – involved as a producer.
Peacock’s official synopsis describes the series as “based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of a few years by a charismatic, obsessed family ‘friend.’ The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities,...
The cast also includes Jake Lacy, Lio Tipton, Mckenna Grace, and Hendrix Yancey. Nick Antosca serves as writer, executive producer, and showrunner, with the real kidnap victim at the heart of the story – Jan Broberg – involved as a producer.
Peacock’s official synopsis describes the series as “based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of a few years by a charismatic, obsessed family ‘friend.’ The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities,...
- 9/13/2022
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
The first teaser for A Friend of the Family is finally here. On Aug. 18, Peacock released a sneak peek at their highly anticipated true crime drama based on the 1970s kidnappings of Jan Broberg, which were also the subject of the wildly popular 2017 documentary Abducted in Plain Sight. The limited series stars The White Lotus' Jake Lacy as the sinister Robert Berchtold, who abducted Jan from her family not once, but twice, after befriending her parents Mary Ann (played by Anna Paquin) and Bob (portrayed by Colin Hanks). "What good luck that you folks moved in two blocks up," Bob says in the teaser before Robert's wife Gail (played by Lio Tipton) warns, "He gets these...
- 8/18/2022
- E! Online
When Jan Broberg was a child, she was kidnapped by close family friend Robert Berchtold not once, but twice. Her parents, Mary Ann and Bob Broberg, knew what Robert did the first time, and yet it somehow happened again. The mind-boggling true crime story is dramatized in Peacock‘s A Friend of the Family, debuting October 6 on the streaming service. Starring Jake Lacy (The White Lotus), Anna Paquin (True Blood), Colin Hanks (The Offer), Lio Tipton (Why Women Kill), Mckenna Grace (The Handmaid’s Tale), and Hendrix Yancey (Stranger Things), Peacock debuted the first A Friend of the Family teaser on Thursday, August 18. A Friend of the Family is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the...
- 8/18/2022
- TV Insider
Peacock’s limited drama series A Friend Of The Family continues to build its cast, adding Austin Stowell (The Hating Game), Patrick Fischler (American Crime Story: Impeachment), Bree Elrod (Red Rocket) and Philip Ettinger (First Reformed). They will join previously announced stars Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Lio Tipton, Mckenna Grace and Hendrix Yancey. A Friend Of The Family comes from Nick Antosca, who serves as showrunner, writer and executive producer.
A Friend Of the Family is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered — and how they survived.
A Friend Of the Family is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered — and how they survived.
- 4/6/2022
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
Hendrix Yancey has been cast in a main role of the Peacock true crime series “A Friend of the Family.”
She joins previously announced cast members Mckenna Grace, Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton. The series is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.”
Yancey will play Jan Broberg in the early years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann Broberg (Paquin) and leads a happy, traditional life in an idyllic American city. Jan trusts family friend and neighbor Robert Berchtold (Lacy), though he has plans for her abduction that she doesn’t suspect. It was previously announced that Grace will play an older version of Broberg in the story.
Yancey will next be seen in the drama series “George and Tammy” alongside Jessica Chastain and Michael Shannon.
She joins previously announced cast members Mckenna Grace, Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton. The series is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.”
Yancey will play Jan Broberg in the early years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann Broberg (Paquin) and leads a happy, traditional life in an idyllic American city. Jan trusts family friend and neighbor Robert Berchtold (Lacy), though he has plans for her abduction that she doesn’t suspect. It was previously announced that Grace will play an older version of Broberg in the story.
Yancey will next be seen in the drama series “George and Tammy” alongside Jessica Chastain and Michael Shannon.
- 3/25/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Mckenna Grace is sticking with TV. The 15-year-old will star in Peacock’s A Friend of the Family, a true-crime limited series, alongside Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy (The White Lotus), Colin Hanks (The Offer), and Lio Tipton (Why Women Kill). A Friend of the Family is based on the chilling true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter, Jan, was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend,” Robert Berchtold. The family was previously the subject of the Netflix documentary film Abducted in Plain Sight. Jan and her mother, Mary Ann Broberg, are producers on the limited series. “The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them,” teases Peacock. “This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered — and how they survived.
- 3/22/2022
- TV Insider
Mckenna Grace, who earned an Emmy nomination for her role as 14-year-old Esther on “The Handmaid’s Tale,” has joined the cast of its true crime series, “Friend of the Family,” Peacock announced Tuesday.
The limited series from “The Act” producer Nick Antosca is the stranger-than-fiction story of Jan Broberg, whose kidnapping was told in 2017 Netflix doc “Abducted in Plain Sight.” As a child, her parents Bob and Mary Ann mistakenly put their trust in friend and neighbor, Robert Berchtold, who abducted Jan multiple times and manipulated her parents in jaw-dropping ways.
Grace, whose credits include “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and “The Haunting of Hill House,” will play the teen version of Jan. She joins previously announced cast members Anna Paquin as Mary Ann Broberg, Colin Hanks as Bob Boberg, Jake Lacy as Robert Berchtold, and Lio Tiptin as Robert’s wife, Gail Berchtold.
Jan Broberg and Mary Ann Broberg serve as producers on the series.
The limited series from “The Act” producer Nick Antosca is the stranger-than-fiction story of Jan Broberg, whose kidnapping was told in 2017 Netflix doc “Abducted in Plain Sight.” As a child, her parents Bob and Mary Ann mistakenly put their trust in friend and neighbor, Robert Berchtold, who abducted Jan multiple times and manipulated her parents in jaw-dropping ways.
Grace, whose credits include “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and “The Haunting of Hill House,” will play the teen version of Jan. She joins previously announced cast members Anna Paquin as Mary Ann Broberg, Colin Hanks as Bob Boberg, Jake Lacy as Robert Berchtold, and Lio Tiptin as Robert’s wife, Gail Berchtold.
Jan Broberg and Mary Ann Broberg serve as producers on the series.
- 3/22/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Mckenna Grace has joined the upcoming Peacock limited series “A Friend of the Family.”
Grace joins previously announced cast members stars Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton. The series is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.”
Grace will star as Jan Broberg in the later years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann Broberg (Paquin) and leads a happy, traditional life in an idyllic American city. Jan trusts family friend and neighbor Robert Berchtold (Lacy), though he has plans for her abduction that she doesn’t suspect.
Grace recently starred in the hit film “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” as well as others like “Malignant,” “Scoob!,” “I, Tonya,” and “Captain Marvel.” She has also made a number of TV appearances throughout her career, including a...
Grace joins previously announced cast members stars Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton. The series is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.”
Grace will star as Jan Broberg in the later years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann Broberg (Paquin) and leads a happy, traditional life in an idyllic American city. Jan trusts family friend and neighbor Robert Berchtold (Lacy), though he has plans for her abduction that she doesn’t suspect.
Grace recently starred in the hit film “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” as well as others like “Malignant,” “Scoob!,” “I, Tonya,” and “Captain Marvel.” She has also made a number of TV appearances throughout her career, including a...
- 3/22/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Mckenna Grace (The Handmaid’s Tale) is set to star alongside Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks and Lio Tipton in A Friend of the Family, Peacock’s limited drama series about the Jan Broberg kidnapping case.
Written by Nick Antosca, A Friend of the Family is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered, and how they survived.
2022 Peacock Series & Pilot Orders
Grace will play Jan Broberg in the later years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann (Paquin) Broberg and leads a happy,...
Written by Nick Antosca, A Friend of the Family is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered, and how they survived.
2022 Peacock Series & Pilot Orders
Grace will play Jan Broberg in the later years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann (Paquin) Broberg and leads a happy,...
- 3/22/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Peacock has given a straight-to-series order to A Friend of the Family, a true-crime limited drama about the Jan Broberg kidnapping case, from Nick Antosca and UCP, with Oscar winner Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks and Lio Tipton attached to star. Eliza Hittman (Never Rarely Sometimes Always) is set to direct and executive produce multiple episodes, including the pilot.
UCP won the rights to the stranger-than-fiction story in a competitive situation, and the project has been in development at UCP since 2020.
Antosca will write and serve as showrunner and executive produce via his Eat the Cat banner, as part of his overall deal with UCP.
A Friend of the Family is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith,...
UCP won the rights to the stranger-than-fiction story in a competitive situation, and the project has been in development at UCP since 2020.
Antosca will write and serve as showrunner and executive produce via his Eat the Cat banner, as part of his overall deal with UCP.
A Friend of the Family is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith,...
- 2/15/2022
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Peacock has given a straight-to-series order to the true crime series “A Friend of the Family,” which tells the story of the multiple kidnappings of Jan Broberg.
Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton will all star in the series, which hails from “The Act” co-creator Nick Antosca. The show was originally announced as being in development back in May 2020.
“A Friend of the Family” is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered and how they survived.
“Nick Antosca has created a compelling series in...
Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton will all star in the series, which hails from “The Act” co-creator Nick Antosca. The show was originally announced as being in development back in May 2020.
“A Friend of the Family” is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered and how they survived.
“Nick Antosca has created a compelling series in...
- 2/15/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
True crime is a genre that has taken over, allowing many people who have found themselves curious by these cases have a sense of understanding.
With women being the predominant victims in these situations, watching this content allows them a sense of control.
It is almost like the more we know, the better prepared we can be.
The influx of documentaries also allows a bigger platform for certain stories that deserve to be heard.
And sometimes, it is just about you being in the mood to sit down and watch some true crime.
These are just a few true crime options worth the watch because they are truly fascinating watches or because of the conversations that started afterward.
With many more coming this year, it felt only right to get ready by looking back at some of the most fascinating so far.
But this is only the beginning, with the...
With women being the predominant victims in these situations, watching this content allows them a sense of control.
It is almost like the more we know, the better prepared we can be.
The influx of documentaries also allows a bigger platform for certain stories that deserve to be heard.
And sometimes, it is just about you being in the mood to sit down and watch some true crime.
These are just a few true crime options worth the watch because they are truly fascinating watches or because of the conversations that started afterward.
With many more coming this year, it felt only right to get ready by looking back at some of the most fascinating so far.
But this is only the beginning, with the...
- 3/12/2021
- by Yana Grebenyuk
- TVfanatic
Exclusive: Feature documentary Abducted in Plain Sight, which airs on Netflix and covers the kidnappings of actress Jan Broberg when she was a kid, is getting a podcast spin-off.
Obsessed With: Abducted In Plain Sight, which will be hosted by the film’s director Skye Borgman, is itself a spin-off of true crime comedy podcast True Crime Obsessed. It becomes the first podcast from the Obsessed Network, which was established by Patrick Hinds.
Abducted In Plain Sight tells the true story of Broberg, an Idaho teenager who was abducted by her neighbor Robert Berchtold in the 1970s on two separate occasions. Broberg went on to become an actress and starred in TV series including CBS’ Touched By An Angel and The WB’s Everwood as well as feature Maniac alongside Elijah Wood.
The spin-off podcast, which is co-hosted and produced by Hinds, will take a deep dive into the documentary.
Obsessed With: Abducted In Plain Sight, which will be hosted by the film’s director Skye Borgman, is itself a spin-off of true crime comedy podcast True Crime Obsessed. It becomes the first podcast from the Obsessed Network, which was established by Patrick Hinds.
Abducted In Plain Sight tells the true story of Broberg, an Idaho teenager who was abducted by her neighbor Robert Berchtold in the 1970s on two separate occasions. Broberg went on to become an actress and starred in TV series including CBS’ Touched By An Angel and The WB’s Everwood as well as feature Maniac alongside Elijah Wood.
The spin-off podcast, which is co-hosted and produced by Hinds, will take a deep dive into the documentary.
- 2/10/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
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