Ripley writer-director on his Netflix series starring Andrew Scott, based on Patricia Highsmith’s serial killer books
- Adapted from Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley books, Ripley is set in 1960s Italy and stars Andrew Scott as the serial killer Tom Ripley
- The 8-episode show’s writer and director, Steven Zaillian, talks about why he chose Scott for the lead role, and his decision to shoot in black and white
It’s time to take another trip to Italy, to the charming, cobblestone streets of the Amalfi Coast, sipping coffee in cafes and looking for la dolce vita. And it just wouldn’t be fun without our favourite serial killer, right?
Tom Ripley is back for another turn at wearing dressing gowns and having champagne on the terrace in Ripley, a thrilling new Netflix series based on the enduring character created by novelist Patricia Highsmith in The Talented Mr. Ripley. It premiered on April 4.
“The idea that we know we’re not supposed to like him, but we do want to see him get away with it, is very interesting. What’s it say about us?” asks Steven Zaillian, who created, directed and wrote the eight-episode adaptation.
Andrew Scott plays Ripley, a scrappy cheque fraudster in grimy New York who is hired to locate a rich dilettante in Italy, but kills him and then impersonates him, leading to more murders and scams.
“Like with any sort of iconic literary character like that, people have very strong opinions – he’s a psychopath, he’s a serial killer,” says Scott.