When Dateline started premiering episodes about Pam Hupp back in 2013, they had no idea what they were in for. Over the next few years, they would keep coming back to Hupp as her name would continually be linked to several murders. She was finally arrested in 2016 for the murder of Louis Gumpenberger, In 2019, Dateline released a multi-episode podcast all about Hupp’s story. And they were right, there are some real strange things about Pam. NBC picked up the story now called The Thing About Pam starring Renée Zellweger, Josh Duhamel, and Judy Greer for a limited series that premiered on March 8, 2022. Here is a list of the characters to watch out for.
Pam Hupp (Renée Zellweger)
What is there to say about Pam Hupp? Well, we don’t want to give away the entire story, but she was accused of 2 (possibly 3) murders since 2011. She is a master of manipulation even to the point of swaying police and attorneys to believe her. Preying on people’s grief, Pam is skilled at twisting narratives and creating false scenarios so well that everyone trusts her at her word. It took investigators years to finally figure out what she was really up to, but the story of her journey is a fascinating one. It’s almost hard to watch how easily people can be fooled.
Zellweger’s breakout role came in 1996 in the film Jerry Maguire. Since then, she has starred in Me, Myself, & Irene, Bridget Jones’s Diary (and all its sequels), Chicago, Cinderella Man, and Miss Potter. Zellweger has won two Oscars, one for Best Actress for her portrayal of Judy Garland in 2019’s Judy and one for Supporting Actress in the film, Cold Mountain in 2003.
Joel Schwartz (Josh Duhamel)
As the defense attorney for Russ Faria, Joel Schwartz had his work cut out for him. One of the things about Pam is that it’s no easy task to prove she’s a liar. Thankfully, Schwartz never gave up as he was virtually Russ’s only hope.
Josh Duhamel got his start on All My Children back in 1999. Since then, he has starred in Las Vegas, Crossing Jordan, and Unsolved. He has also appeared in such films as Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!, When in Rome, and Love, Simon.
Russ Faria (Glenn Fleshler)
When his wife Betsy is found dead, Russ is destroyed. However, his troubles had only just begun when he was arrested and convicted for her death. Between Hupp’s deception and the misguided prosecution, Russ has all the blame placed on him all while grieving the death of his wife.
Glenn Fleshler has had leading roles in Boardwalk Empire, Billions, The Night Of, Barry, and For Life. He has also appeared in such films as A Most Violent Year and Joker.
Leah Askey (Judy Greer)
The District Attorney who failed to fully investigate Pam Hupp wound up prosecuting Russ Faria twice for the murder of his wife. She later faced political and legal consequences for her actions during the investigation and subsequent trials.
Judy Greer has graced us with her presence on screen since the late 90s. On television, she has popped up on such shows as Arrested Development, Californication, Kidding, and Archer just to name a very select few. She has also had memorable roles in movies such as 13 Going on 30, The Village, 27 Dresses, Ant-Man, and Halloween.
Mariah Day (Gideon Adlon)
As the daughter of Betsy and Russ Faria, Mariah is torn between supporting her father and finding justice for her mother. Unfortunately, she too becomes a victim of Pam’s manipulation.
Gideon Adlon had her first major movie role in 2018’s Blockers. Before that she had roles in Louie, Girl Meets World, The Society, and alongside her mom, Pamela Adlon in the show Better Things.
Mark Hupp (Sean Bridgers)
Mark Hupp is the unsuspecting husband of Pam. Needless to say, he filed for divorce from dear Pam in 2020. He, too, seemed to believe her web of lies as he tried helplessly to keep his family together.
Sean Bridgers is best known for his role as Johnny Burns in Deadwood, Louis Darnell in Get Shorty, and Trey Willis in the underrated masterpiece, Rectify.
Betsy Faria (Katy Mixon)
Poor Betsy. Recovering from cancer, trying to get her life back together and her only mistake was to trust the wrong person. Betsy is mostly shown through flashbacks in the series, for obvious reasons, but she is the catalyst to the overall story.
Katy Mixon is best known as April on Eastbound & Down. Since then, she has starred in Mike & Molly, American Housewife, and has done voice work in Robot Chicken, The Looney Tunes Show, and the feature film, Minions.
Louis Gumpenberger (Jeff Ryan Baker)
Pam’s first victim, or so they thought. Louis was an unsuspecting participant in a twisted fantasy that ended in murder. Gumpenberger had sustained impaired mental and physical capabilities after a devastating car accident in 2005, which made him an easy target for Pam’s scheme.
This is the first television role for Jeff Ryan Baker.
Janet (Suanne Spoke)
Betsy’s mom, Janet, doesn't know what to believe. She knows Russ would never hurt her daughter. But he is looking guiltier by the minute. At least that is what her trusted friend Pam keeps telling her. And why would she lie?
Suanne Spoke has been on television since the mid-1980s. She has been a series regular on General Hospital and Switched at Birth as well as having smaller roles in Step by Step, Judging Amy, The Division, and ER.
Minnie (Patricia French)
Minnie is Pam’s nosy neighbor. Does she really know Pam? Or is she just as in the dark as everyone else is? Minnie seems to keep popping up as Pam works her schemes almost as a voice whispering to Pam’s conscience. If only Pam had one.
Patricia French has appeared in True Detective, The Good Lord Bird, The Act, Halt and Catch Fire, and Ozark.
Narrator (Keith Morrison)
The incomparable voice of Dateline since 1995, Keith Morrison narrates the limited series just as he did the podcast. Morrison is a cult fan favorite with his dulcet, baritone voice, and animated narration. He has appeared on the show Seinfeld and has been parodied (brilliantly) by Bill Hader on Saturday Night Live.
The limited series also stars Olivia Luccardi, Jesse Scott Egan, Adam David Thompson, Catherine Carlen, Sarah Stipe, Drew Scheid, and Ann Mahoney.
New episodes air weekly on NBC on Tuesdays. They are also available the following day on Peacock.