Peacock and A24 have cast Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees in the much-anticipated prequel series, Crystal Lake, which serves as a backstory to the iconic horror franchise Friday the 13th.
The news of Cardellini’s involvement has been circulating since a report by The InSneider in February, where speculation about her role began. Pamela Voorhees is a chilling figure in Friday the 13th, a slasher film from the 1980s that chronicles the gruesome fate of a group of teens at Camp Crystal Lake. She is notably the mother of Jason Voorhees, the infamous masked killer who becomes the central figure in the franchise, first appearing in Friday the 13th Part 2 released in 1981.
Previously portrayed by Betsy Palmer in the original film, other actresses like Marilyn Poucher, Paula Shaw, and Nana Visitor have also stepped into the role for various sequels and reboots.
Currently, Cardellini is busy filming a dark comedy series titled DTF St. Louis for Max, where she stars alongside Jason Bateman and David Harbour. She was recently seen in Netflix’s No Good Deed and is a three-time Emmy nominee for her performances in Dead to Me and Mad Men. Cardellini rose to fame with her role as Lindsay Weir in Freaks and Geeks and as Samantha Taggart in ER.
At the helm of Crystal Lake is Brad Caleb Kane, who takes on the roles of creator, writer, showrunner, and executive producer. Kane has previously worked on projects including It: Welcome to Derry, Tokyo Vice, and Warrior. However, plot specifics for this new series remain tightly under wraps.
Peacock secured Crystal Lake in October 2022, originally with Bryan Fuller and Victoria Miller attached as writers and executive producers. In May 2024, a significant shift occurred when Fuller was ousted from the series as A24 decided to pursue a different direction, leading to Kane assuming the showrunner role in August 2024.