‘Dead Ringers’ Team Introduces Complicated Women of Prime Video Psychological Thriller

Bringing the twins at the center of Prime Video’s Dead Ringers (a remake of David Cronenberg’s 1988 film of the same name) wasn’t that difficult for the person taking on the roles.

For Rachel Weisz, creator, writer, and executive producer Alice Birch made it easy. “She defined both characters so distinctly on the page. She did all the work for me. I just said her words,” the star and executive producer recently told TV Insider at the show’s premiere in New York.

In the psychological thriller (all six episodes drop April 21), Weisz’s Elliot and Beverly Mantle are twins who share everything: drugs, lovers, and an unapologetic desire to do whatever it takes — including pushing the boundaries on medical ethics — to challenge antiquated practices and bring women’s health care to the forefront.

In addition to teasing plenty of Easter eggs for fans to appreciate, Birch hopes her series inspires others. “Every time we show one patient, it felt like we were no able to show a million other stories,” she admitted. But what they were able to put on screen was what she herself wants to see: “so many amazing, strong, messy, funny, brilliant, complicated women.”

Join us on at the premiere carpet for the new @PrimeVideo series, @DeadRingers. We spoke to @need4meade, @poppyrepublic , #britneoldford & #rachelweisz! The show premieres 4/21 on @PrimeVideo. pic.twitter.com/VjpS6rH4Zd

— TV Insider (@TVInsider) April 20, 2023

The characters on display alongside Weisz’s twins are Rebecca (Jennifer Ehle), Genevieve (Britne Oldford), and Greta (Poppy Liu).

Rebecca is “delicious” and “a piece of work. She’s not really like anybody I think I’ve played before. She’s been raised in such a level of privilege … that I don’t think anybody would be able to relate to her and I don’t think she can relate to anybody apart from people in her tiny little echelon of wealth and exclusivity,” Ehle shared. It’s because of that background that “she comes from a family that is denying their shame and denying any responsibility for very long. … But she’s not aware of any of that. She just thinks she’s running the world and doing a really good job at it.”

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On the other hand, Genevieve is “warm,” according to Oldford. “I pulled from myself for this one. I feel like we’ve been there, we’ve done that, and it was very easy and felt very organic to play this role.”

Greta is a “weird little art freak,” Liu said. “She is really filled with a sense of longing. I think she’s really looking for something. She’s searching for answers in her art and her surroundings. She really wants a sense of belonging but also doesn’t really know how to fit into the world like a regular person.”

Be sure to check out the video above for more from the cast.

Dead Ringers, Series Premiere, Friday, April 21, Prime Video