Nicole Kidman and Rosie McEwen, who play the titular forensic pathologists on the Prime Video series “Scarpetta,” worked with coroner Dr. Amy Hawes to make sure the autopsy scenes felt authentic.
“[Hawes]taught them how to hold a scalpel and how to remove organs, and they actually got pretty good at it,” showrunner Liz Sarnoff told Variety at the series’ premiere in New York on Tuesday night. “We never did any crime scenes or morgue scenes or anything like that without her.”
“Scarpetta” is split between two eras, with McEwen playing a young Kay Scarpetta and Kidman playing a forensic pathologist in her later years. Based on Patricia Cornwell’s bestselling book series, this crime drama follows Dr. Scarpetta as she investigates a series of gruesome murders reminiscent of cases she worked on in the 1990s. The series also stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Cannavale, Simon Baker, Arianna DeBose, Jake Cannavale, and Hunter Parrish.
Stephanie Faracy, Amanda Righetti, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana DeBose, Rosie McEwen, Nicole Kidman, Simon Baker, Hunter Parrish, Bobby Cannavale and Jake Cannavale attend the New York premiere of Prime Video’s ‘Scarpetta’.
Getty Images for Prime Video
Kidman had the opportunity to rehearse with McEwen to keep the character’s dialect and movements consistent. In addition to training with Dr. Hawes for the dissection scenes, both actors worked with the same dialect coach, Tom Jones.
“We were able to create the base using the same sources and then just took our time. We researched and rehearsed on this project,” Kidman said. “There was a proper rehearsal period, which in movies and shows today often doesn’t have that process. Having that is invaluable.”
“So we sat on the floor of a rented house and had time to rehearse with the writer, director and medical examiner, research and prepare, and everything fell into place,” she continued.
Simon Baker, Jamie Lee Curtis, Nicole Kidman and Bobby Cannavale attend the New York premiere of Prime Video’s Scarpetta.
Getty Images for Prime Video
The show explores crime and autopsies, as well as storylines that are especially relevant today. Dorothy, played by Curtis, has a daughter (played by DeBose) who communicates with her late wife’s AI avatar.
“This has always been a topic that fascinates me because now we have the ability to make it happen,” Sarnoff said. “And I think this show is about death and loss, so it’s a completely different way of dealing with loss. We felt it was important to say, ‘This is what’s going to happen. How do we feel about that? And how do we feel it’s impacting the person who is grieving the most?'” And it’s been a hotbed of discussion among everyone. “Is that a good thing?” Is that a bad thing? Is that what is holding her back? Is it healing her?
Curtis called the reality of the technology “one of the saddest things.”
“I’m hearing this is a terrible trend. It’s a terrible misuse of what the technology is meant to be used for. It’s great in certain areas, but it’s terrible in interpersonal areas,” Curtis told Variety. “And I think some people would argue that if someone is lonely, having an AI friend is better than no friend at all, but I don’t think so. It’s a machine. It’s not a human.”
“Scarpetta” will premiere on Prime Video on March 11th.
