Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear Actor’s Return in Apple TV Remake Explained by Showrunner

One of the stars of the 1991 psychological thriller Cape Fear returned for the Apple TV remake, and the show’s creator is now explaining why.

Nick Antosca, who previously worked on Hannibal, The law, Chucky and Murdaugh: Death in the Familycreated the new one Cape Fear series, which is based on John D. MacDonald’s 1957 novel The executioners. The book has been made into a film twice, first in 1962 and then again in 1991 (directed by Martin Scorsese).

Juliette Lewis, who starred in the latest film adaptation in the Oscar-nominated role of Danielle Bowden, appeared on the Apple TV show, and now in an interview with ScreenRant‘s Tatiana Hullender, Antosca reveals why he brought her back to the world of Cape Fear.

The creator explained that he worked with Lewis when she guest starred on Hulu’s The lawwhich he helped to create.

It was around the same time that Antosca first started thinking about adapting again Cape Fear. He already knew how great of an actor Lewis was and wanted her to join the series in some capacity because he really “would work with her again.”

However, bring Cape Fear to life on the small screen did not go smoothly. “It took years for the rights and stuff… to come together,” he admitted. But when it all came together, “I was really excited when she wanted to come hang out with us.”

“I love Juliette Lewis. When I first started thinking about doing this show and recreating Cape Fear, I worked with Juliette on an episode of The Act where she guest starred.

“Separate from any Cape Fear thoughts, I just thought, ‘Man, she’s so good.’ It took years for the rights and stuff for Cape Fear to come together, but I knew and had always thought even then that I wanted Juliette to be involved and wanted to work with her again. So I was really excited when she wanted to come hang out with us.”

Cape Fear boasts an all-star team that includes Scorsese and Steven Spielberg as executive producers.

The series stars Javier Bardem as an ex-convict named Maxy Cady who leaves prison with revenge in mind. He plans to make lawyers Anna and Tom Bowden (Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson) pay for their actions after they served as his lawyers during the trial that led to his imprisonment.

Joe Anders, Lily Collias, CCH Pounder and Malia Pyles also star in the thriller, which debuted in early June and currently holds a 76% Rotten Tomatoes score, with critics give Cape Fear mostly positive reviews. (This compares to 88% and 77% for the 1962 and 1991 films, respectively.)

After starring in the 1991s Cape Fear, Lewis continued to star in such films seam What does Gilbert Grape eatWhip it!, August: Osage County, Must and News in Yuba Countyand the TV programs Wayward Pines, Secrets and lies, Welcome to Chippendales, Camping and Yellowjackets.

She earned an Emmy nomination for her role Welcome to Chippendales and a SAG Award nod for August: Osage County.

Now Lewis is back Cape Fear for the Apple TV adaptation, which releases new episodes on Fridays, with the finale set for July 31. However, instead of playing Danielle, the actress plays a character who stalks Max in the first two episodes.

Cape Fear streams every Friday on Apple TV.