Renée Zellweger to Star in’The Thing About Pam’ on NBC, Marking Her Broadcast TV Debut

A new limited series will detail a very popular story from Dateline NBC.

NBC has ordered The Thing About Pam, starring Renée Zellweger in her broadcast TV debut, straight to series. The six episodes, with Zellweger playing Pam Hupp, are based on Betsy Faria’s murder in 2011. Her husband, Russ, was convicted, despite his insistence of his innocence. That conviction was overturned. The brutal crime set off a chain of events that exposed a diabolical scheme deeply involving Pam.

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In addition to being featured on Dateline NBC, it was the subject of a popular 2019 podcast of the same name as the new series.

“The twists and turns of this saga are truly stranger than fiction, and in the hands of this incredibly talented artistic team, this series will bring a completely new perspective to a story that has already captivated millions,” Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, said in a statement.

“As someone who hasn’t missed an episode of Dateline in 10 years, what immediately stood out to me about Pam from other true crime stories is that while on its surface it has all the twists and turns of a thrilling whodunit murder mystery, it’s really a character story at its heart that reflects in a profound way the American landscape back to us,” showrunner and writer Jessika Borsiczky said.

The Thing About Pam is a collaboration of Blumhouse Television, NBC News Studios, and Zellweger’s Big Picture Co. Joining Zellweger and Borsiczky as executive producers are Carmella Casinelli, Liz Cole, Noah Oppenheim, Jason Blum, Chris McCumber, and Jeremy Gold.

Zellweger’s previous TV role was What/If on Netflix. She has won Oscars for her performances in Judy (2020) and Cold Mountain (2004).