Amanda Seyfriedwill patrol the streets as a Philly-based detective in Peacock’s upcomingLong Bright River.Peacock has unveiled the first look images of the gritty miniseries, which follows Seyfried’s Mickey Fitzpatrick on the hunt for a killer in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood. The miniseries, adapted from author Liz Moore’s 2020 best-selling crime novel of the same name, lands on the streamer on July 20, 2025, with all eight episodes.
According toLong Bright Rivers' synopsis, the suspense thriller follows Mickey as she “patrols a Philadelphia neighborhood hard-hit by the opioid crisis. When a series of murders begins in the neighborhood, Mickey realizes that her personal history might be related to the case.”
Showrunner Nikki Toscano (The Offer), who also servesas a writer, executive producer, and director for the miniseries, teases that Seyfried is"like you’ve never seen her before – flawed and raw, tarred by guilt and shame and legacy, but never more compelling. She puts every ounce of her soul onto the screen and her performance will break your heart."
Why Long Bright River Might Be One of Amanda Seyfried’s Best Performances
Seyfriend is a talented actress who earned an Emmy Award forher brilliant portrayal of Elizabeth Holmes inThe Dropoutand received an Oscar nod for her work as Marion Davies inMank. Through her decades-long career, Seyfried has proven her versatility: from ditzy Karen inMean Girlsand the shy and nerdy Anita “Needy” Lesnicki inJennifer’s Bodyto the deceptive and intelligent Holmes inThe Dropout.
WhileSeyfried’s body of workalone indicates that she’ll impress as Detective Fitzpatrick, her connection to the story hints at something truly exceptional. Seyfried is from Allentown, Pennsylvania, which is about 60 miles away from Philly. While Mickey is on the hunt for a killer, the story also follows her relationship with her sister, Kacey (Ashleigh Cummings), who is addicted to opioids. During a recent interview withVanity Fair, Seyfried shared why she felt so connected toLong Bright River:
“A part of the reason I chose this is because I have a lived experience that this character had — not necessarily the same, but very similar. What I think this does that others don’t is dare to go into that darkness without a perfect bow at the end.”
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Seyfried also immersed herself in Philly’s Kensington neighborhood, even accompanying Philadelphia police on a ride-along. She noted the tension between officers and some community members, and said she started to “understand who in Kensington feels safe with certain cops — which cops are taking care of them and which cops are just constantly trying to shove them off.” Ultimately, Seyfried says she hopes viewers take something meaningful from the series:
“I hope people have an education on something: how much you didn’t know about addiction, or the compassion you realize that you have for sex workers, or the need to help out recovery programs — anything, if it inspires or provokes any kind of new behavior,” Seyfried said.
Long Bright Riveris executive produced by Moore, Seyfried, and director Hagar Ben-Asher; Neal H. Moritz, Pavun Shetty, and Amanda Lewis for Original Film; Amy Pascal under the Pascal Pictures banner; and Russell Rothberg. Nicholas Pinnock, Callum Vinson, and John Doman star alongside Seyfried and Cummings.
