There are some trials that stand out due to the nature of the accusations and crimes, and the 1990 case that involved 18-year-old Louise Woodward was one of them. HBO has now picked up a five-part limited series, titled “The Trial of Louise Woodward,” to continue the push for true crime stories that capture attention.
It’s not the first time a streamer has turned to true crime stories to create a drama, and it’s certainly not the first time HBO has done it. Two of the most popular in recent years have been “Love & Death,” starring Elizabeth Olsen, and “The Staircase,” starring Colin Firth. Now, Meghann Fahy of “The White Lotus” fame will attach her name to another true crime drama.
‘The Trial of Louise Woodward’ Has an Outstanding Team
GettyIn a press release from Warner Bros. Discovery, HBO announced that Meghann Fahy will star as Louise Woodward, the 18-year-old British au pair accused of shaking a baby to death. She has an outstanding team surrounding her, as “The Night Manager’s” Susanne Bier will executive produce the series, and she will direct all five episodes.
On top of that, Matthew Barry, who is best known for his work on HBO’s “Industry” will also executive produce, as well as serving as showrunner and writer. Production is set to begin in August, and the plan is to make “The Trial of Louise Woodward” as part of the 2027 lineup. Big Light Productions is behind the production team, with founder Frank Spotnitz serving as executive producer on the series.
No other cast members have been confirmed as of yet.
The decision to push true crime stories isn’t that surprising due to the success in recent years. This is the first time Woodward’s trial has been covered as a scripted show, although there have been documentaries made, including a Prime Video documentary special also titled “The Trial of Louise Woodward.”
What Is “The Trial of Louise Woodward” About?
Gettyprison in the state of Massachusetts. (Photo by WTN / AFP) (Photo by -/WTN/AFP via Getty Images)
It was a case that rocked the world! In 1997, the 18-year-old au pair, Louise Woodward, was accused of shaking a baby in her care to death. The TV series will take viewers through the events of the trial, leading up to Woodward’s eventual conviction and sentencing.
Yes, Woodward was found guilty of second-degree murder. The case started in February 1997, when Woodward called emergency services due to the baby in her care, eight-month-old Matthew Eappen, was unresponsive while in her care. The baby died days later, and doctors found a fractured skull and brain bleed. The prosecution argued that during a fit of frustration, Woodward had slammed the baby into a hard surface after shaking him, but the defense argued that the injury was older, from a fall weeks earlier.
While originally found guilty of second-degree murder in October 1997 and sentenced to life in prison, the trial judge, Hiller B. Zobel, ended up reducing the conviction to involuntary manslaughter. A post-conviction hearing found that the original ruling was excessive, and he decided that Woodward never intended to kill the eight-month-old. That led to her sentence being reduced to time served, and she was allowed to return to the UK.
It’s unclear how much of the aftermath of the trial will be covered in the HBO series. Just recently, Hulu produced “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox,” which looked at the full case, including events afterward. Not only did viewers get to see the lead-up and the trial itself, but they saw the release, the attempt at another trial, and Knox returning to Italy to face her accuser to give the full story.
