Caroline Kepnes | |
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Born | [1] | 10 November 1976
Alma mater | Brown University |
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Website | carolinekepnes |
Caroline Kepnes (born 10 November 1976) is an American writer, [2] screenwriter, author, and former entertainment reporter. [3] [4] [5] [6] She is best known for her novel series You, consisting of You (2014), Hidden Bodies (2016), You Love Me (2021), and the forthcoming For You and You Only (2023), writing for the 2018–present Lifetime/Netflix television series adaptation of the same name, and the stand-alone novel Providence (2018).
Kepnes was born November 1976 on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Her father was Jewish and Kepnes identifies as "half-Jewish." [7] [8] During her formative years, she attended Barnstable High School. After graduation, she commenced her studies at Brown University. [9] Later, she obtained an undergraduate degree in American Civilization and worked as an entertainment reporter for Entertainment Weekly . [10]
In an interview with the Boston Globe Kepnes said her first paid writing gig was an article on boy bands, for Tiger Beat magazine. [1] In addition to her work as a writer, she performed as a background character in the television series The $treet .
In 2014 Kepnes released her first novel of the thriller series, You . [11] Kepnes explained the darkness of You, which deconstructs the romantic-comedy tropes highlighted in many films and shows by making the protagonist a violent stalker and serial killer, saying it was written in a dark period of her life, the year her father died of cancer, and in which she experienced several other personal challenges. [12] Later, Kepnes was initially hesitant on labeling Joe, as a few readers argued that his actions classified him as a serial killer. The author then clarified her position on the matter, citing that "I remember when I wrote You and someone first referred to Joe as a serial killer. I argued 'he’s not a serial killer, he meets these terrible people and has these awful thoughts, but he’s very sensitive'. It’s very strange to realise you have written a serial killer." [13]
In February 2015, it was announced that Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble would develop a television series based on the novel at Showtime. [14] Two years later, it was announced that the series was purchased by Lifetime and put on fast-track development. [15] You premiered on September 9, 2018. [16] On July 26, 2018, ahead of the series premiere, Lifetime announced that the series had been renewed for a second season. [17] [18] On December 3, 2018, it was confirmed that Lifetime had passed on a second season and that Netflix had picked up the series. [19] The second season was released exclusively on Netflix on December 26, 2019. [20] On January 14, 2020, You was renewed for a third season by Netflix. [21] The third season was released on October 15, 2021. [22] [23] [24] In October 2021, ahead of the third season premiere, the series was renewed for a fourth season. [25]
In 2016, Kepnes published a sequel to You, Hidden Bodies . [26] It was loosely adapted in the second season of the Netflix thriller series, You . [27] [28] For Hidden Bodies, Kepnes had thoughts for a potential direction before its conception, stating that before "I was even finished with the first book I knew what my second one was going to be. I wanted to trap Joe somewhere." [13]
Her third novel, Providence , published in 2018, has been described as romance-suspense-thriller, with supernatural aspects. [29] [30] [31] Alison Flood, in a review published by The Guardian , wrote "Providence is compelling, and Kepnes provides a sometimes piercing insight into the small, strange, sad details that make up a life, though without quite achieving the deep, dark pleasures of You." According to Cheryl Wassenaar, in a review in Cultures magazine, the novel is "a bit like Dexter meets, well, H.P. Lovecraft." [32] In January 2021, it was announced that Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble would reunite to develop a television series based on the novel for Peacock . [33]
The third novel and the sequel to Hidden Bodies, titled You Love Me was released on April 6, 2021. [34] Kepnes published the fourth novel for the You series, [35] [36] [37] titled For You and Only You: A Joe Goldberg Novel released on April 25th, 2023. [38]
Caroline Dhavernas is a Canadian actress. In the United States, her best known work has been her collaborations with Bryan Fuller. She played Jaye Tyler in the Fox comedy-drama series Wonderfalls, and Alana Bloom in the NBC psychological horror drama series Hannibal.
Gregory Berlanti is an American screenwriter, producer and director of film and television. He is known for his work on the television series Dawson's Creek, Brothers & Sisters, Everwood, Political Animals, Riverdale, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and You, in addition to his contributions to DC Comics on film and television productions, including The CW's Arrowverse, Titans, and the Doom Patrol. In 2000, Berlanti founded the production company Berlanti Productions.
Ambyr C. Childers is an American actress known for her portrayal of Susan Atkins in the NBC crime drama Aquarius, Ashley Rucker in the Showtime crime drama Ray Donovan, and Candace Stone in the Lifetime/Netflix thriller series You.
Penn Dayton Badgley is an American actor. He is primarily known for his roles as Dan Humphrey in The CW teen drama series Gossip Girl (2007–2013) and Joe Goldberg in the Netflix thriller series You (2018–present). For Gossip Girl, he received six Teen Choice Award nominations, and for You, he earned MTV Movie & TV Award and Saturn Award nominations.
Shannon Ashley Garcia "Shay" Mitchell is a Canadian actress. She rose to prominence for her role as Emily Fields in the mystery thriller drama series Pretty Little Liars (2010–2017), which earned her nominations for a People's Choice Award and six Teen Choice Awards. She has garnered wider recognition for starring as Peach Salinger in the psychological thriller series You (2018) and as Stella Cole in the Hulu comedy series Dollface (2019–2022). She currently voices Alexandra Trese in the Netflix animated series Trese (2021–present).
Sera Gamble is an American television writer and producer, best known for her work on the Lifetime/Netflix series You, the Syfy series The Magicians and The CW series Supernatural.
Elizabeth Dean Lail is an American actress. She played the recurring role of Anna in the fantasy adventure series Once Upon a Time (2014), and starred as Amy Hughes in the supernatural series Dead of Summer (2016). Lail starred as Guinevere Beck in the psychological thriller series You (2018–2019), and as Jenny Banks in the NBC drama series Ordinary Joe (2021–2022).
Lana Therese Condor is an American actress and YouTuber. She made her acting debut starring as Jubilee in the superhero film X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), and gained international recognition for portraying Lara Jean Covey in the romantic comedy To All the Boys film series (2018–2021). She has also portrayed Saya Kuroki in the television series Deadly Class (2019) and Koyomi in the film Alita: Battle Angel (2019). More recently, Condor voiced the titular character in Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023).
You is an American psychological thriller television series based on the books by Caroline Kepnes, developed by Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble, and produced by Berlanti Productions, Alloy Entertainment, and A+E Studios in association with Warner Horizon Television, now Warner Bros. Television.
The first season of the American psychological thriller television series You, based on the novel of the same name by Caroline Kepnes, was ordered by Lifetime in April 2017. It stars Penn Badgley, Elizabeth Lail, Luca Padovan, Zach Cherry and Shay Mitchell. The 10-episode first season, which premiered on September 9, 2018, was produced by A&E Studios, in association with Alloy Entertainment, Berlanti Productions, and Warner Horizon Television; the showrunners were Greg Berlanti, Sera Gamble and Leslie Morgenstein.
Victoria Pedretti is an American actress. Her accolades include an MTV Award, a Saturn Award, and nominations for two Critics' Choice Awards.
You is a thriller novel by Caroline Kepnes, published in September 2014. The novel has been translated into 19 languages, and was adapted into a television series of the same name.
Hidden Bodies is a thriller novel by Caroline Kepnes, published in February 2016. It is the sequel to her 2014 novel, You. It was loosely adapted in the second season and third season of the Netflix thriller series, You.
The second season of the American psychological thriller television series You was ordered by Lifetime on July 26, 2018. On December 3, 2018, it was announced that the network had passed on the second season and that the series would move to Netflix as a Netflix Original series. Penn Badgley and Ambyr Childers reprise their roles while new cast members include Victoria Pedretti, James Scully, Jenna Ortega, and Carmela Zumbado. The 10-episode second season is loosely based on the novel Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes and was entirely released on Netflix on December 26, 2019.
Joseph "Joe" Goldberg is a fictional character and protagonist of the You book series, written by Caroline Kepnes, as well as the television series of the same name, where he is portrayed by American actor Penn Badgley, by Gianni Ciardiello, Aidan Wallace and Jack Fisher as a youth, and as his inner self by Ed Speleers. Joe is a serial killer, stalker and former bookstore manager who, upon meeting Guinevere Beck at his workplace in New York, develops an extreme, toxic and delusional obsession with her. After moving to Los Angeles, to escape his sordid past, he meets avid chef Love Quinn, and starts to fall into his old habits of obsession and violence in order to avoid the fate of his past romantic endeavors. However, after his troubled marriage with Love falls apart, he abandons his life in the United States and soon moves to London, where he begins tracking down the Eat-the-Rich killer, while also managing his infatuation with Kate Lockwood.
Providence is Caroline Kepnes's third novel. It has been described as romance-suspense-thriller, with supernatural aspects. Reviewers have explicitly characterized it as "strange".
Outer Banks is an American action-adventure mystery teen drama streaming television series created by Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke that premiered on Netflix on April 15, 2020. The series is set in a community in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and follows the conflict between two groups of teenagers in search of a lost treasure.
The third season of the American psychological thriller television series You was ordered by Netflix on January 14, 2020. It features the continuation of Joe Goldberg's fraught relationship with Love, who is pregnant with his child in a new suburban home. You series creators Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble return as co-executive producers, and Gamble returns as showrunner. Penn Badgley, Victoria Pedretti, and Saffron Burrows, who was upgraded to a series regular, reprise their roles. New cast members include Shalita Grant, Travis Van Winkle, Dylan Arnold, and Tati Gabrielle. Michaela McManus portrays Joe's new neighbor, shown at end of the second season. In December 2020, the production of the third season was suspended for two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed in February 2021. The ten-episode season premiered on October 15, 2021.
The fourth season of the American psychological thriller television series You was ordered by Netflix on October 13, 2021. You series co-creator Sera Gamble returns as showrunner. Series star Penn Badgley returns as Joe Goldberg and Tati Gabrielle reprises her role as Marienne Bellamy, with Charlotte Ritchie, Tilly Keeper, Amy-Leigh Hickman, Ed Speleers and Lukas Gage joining the main cast. Filming began in March 2022, primarily in London, and concluded in August. The season was split in two parts, with the first part premiering on February 9, 2023, and the second part premiered on March 9, 2023.
The book was a hit and wound up being printed in 19 languages. Stephen King tweeted that 'YOU' was 'hypnotic and scary. A little Ira Levin, a little Patricia Highsmith, and plenty of serious snark. Cool stuff.'
The Brown University grad has had a diverse career -- she has worked as a pop culture journalist for Entertainment Weekly and a TV writer on the show 7th Heaven.
Back in 1991, Barnstable High student Caroline Kepnes tagged along to the Concord movie set of "School Ties" where her older brother, Alex, was an extra.
Ms. Kepnes, who has written for the series "7th Heaven" and "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," wrote a late-season episode. She and Ms. Gamble both drew from their personal histories as young, female aspiring writers to flesh out Beck, and they agreed that "You" is really her story.
Caroline Kepnes.
Exactly. Now we're living in this world where we have the unreliable narrator that is social media. We're making ourselves crazy. We're all reading this book. Everyone has a different version of it, but everyone has this book that never stops. There's no mandatory day of the week where Twitter closes down and Facebook isn't available. It's on you to choose your relationship to it, which is more work. The burden of it all is fascinating to me. We won't understand it until 50 years from now. This whole responsibility that didn't exist before.
In Providence (Simon & Schuster, £8.99), she takes on the story of a kidnapping and its aftermath.
A beautifully crafted narrative that deftly combines a sweet coming-of-age love story with elements of Lovecraftian horror and supernatural suspense, Providence is Kepnes at her best. A rich novel brimming with as much heartfelt emotion as genuine thrills, it will keep readers flipping the pages at a rapid pace, searching for answers to their own questions about love, truth, connection, and what it means to be human.
The action is all set in New England; Kepnes is from there, and it shows in her work. The inside flap calls it "part love story, part detective story, and part supernatural thriller," and the best way I can describe it is that it's a bit like Dexter meets, well, H.P Lovecraft.
Mr. Berlanti began developing "You" almost four years ago with the producer Sera Gamble. Showtime originally planned to make the series, which is based on a novel by Caroline Kepnes, before passing on it. It then went to Lifetime, which over the summer committed to making a second season.