See the ‘The Staircase’ Limited Series Cast Alongside the Real-Life People
Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s docuseries The Staircase has kept viewers hooked for more than two decades. Released in installments between 2004 and 2018, it chronicles Michael Peterson’s murder trial and its aftermath.
In May 2022, HBO Max debuted its riveting true-crime limited series The Staircase, based on the landmark 2004 docuseries. Starring Colin Firth as Michael Peterson, Toni Collette as Kathleen Peterson, Michael Stuhlbarg as defense attorney David Rudolf, and Parker Posey as prosecutor Freda Black, the series digs into the complexities of the case, the family caught in the middle, and the blurred line between truth and narrative.
The show dramatized Kathleen’s life and final night, giving voice to her through Collette as it visualized the fall, the emotional fallout from the characters, the impact of media on truth, as well as several theories.
Written and executive-produced by Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn, the eight-episode series can now be watched in its entirety on Netflix (along with the original docuseries), where it is currently reaching a fresh wave of viewers.
Here is a look at how the casting for the 2022 limited series compared to the original story.
The Staircase (2004), Now Streaming, Netflix
The Staircase (2022), Now Streaming, Netflix
Toni Collette as Kathleen Peterson
Collette won an Emmy for her lead role in the Showtime comedy United States of Tara and returned to the small screen as Evelyn Wade in Netflix’s Wayward. On the big screen, you’ve seen her in films like The Sixth Sense, Hereditary, and Knives Out.
The Real Kathleen Peterson
Kathleen, a Nortel executive and socialite in Durham, North Carolina, was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in her and Michael’s mansion on December 9, 2001, according to The Herald-Sun.
Colin Firth as Michael Peterson
Firth gave an Oscar-winning performance in the 2010 biopic The King’s Speech, and he’s also known for his roles in BBC’s Pride and Prejudice, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Love Actually, A Single Man, and the Kingsman series.
The Real Michael Peterson
Michael is a Marine Corps veteran, novelist, newspaper columnist, and onetime Durham mayoral candidate who was convicted o Kathleen’s murder in 2003. Prosecutors argued he bludgeoned her to death; he claimed she fell. Michael spent years in prison before his conviction was overturned, and in 2017, he pleaded guilty to the killing in an Alford plea and walked free with time served, per WRAL.
Rosemarie DeWitt as Candace Zamperini
DeWitt starred in the TV shows The Boys, And Just Like That…, Little Fires Everywhere, United States of Tara, Mad Men, and Standoff (which co-starred her husband, Ron Livingston). On the big screen, she’s known for her roles in the films Rachel Getting Married, Smile 2, and La La Land.
The Real Candace Zamperini
Zamperini is Kathleen’s sister, who gave impassioned speeches in court throughout the Staircase saga. “You brutally took the life of a woman who provided for you [and] guarded your children. She loved you!” she told Michael at his Alford plea hearing, per the Associated Press. (By the way, Rosemarie DeWitt also played Toni Collette’s sister in United States of Tara.)
Sophie Turner as Margaret Ratliff
Actress Sophie Turner became a breakout star through her role as Sansa Stark in HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones. She has portrayed Jean Grey (a.k.a. Phoenix) on the big screen in 2016’s X-Men: Apocalypse and 2019’s X-Men: Dark Phoenix. She recently played Joan in the CW series Joan.
The Real Margaret Ratliff
Margaret is one of Michael Peterson’s adopted daughters. She featured heavily in Netflix’s docuseries The Staircase.
Patrick Schwarzenegger as Todd Peterson
The actor of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver has appeared in shows such as The White Lotus, Gen V, Scream Queens, and The Long Road Home. His big break was in Midnight Sun in which he appeared alongside Bella Thorne.
The Real Todd Peterson
Featured in Netflix’s docuseries of the same name, Todd Peterson is the son of Michael Peterson.
Michael Stuhlbarg as David Rudolf
Michael Stuhlbarg made his mark on TV through roles on shows like Boardwalk Empire, Fargo, The Looming Tower, Your Honor, and After the Hunt. He’s also appeared in acclaimed films such as A Serious Man, Trumbo, The Shape of Water, The Post, and Call Me By Your Name.
The Real David Rudolf
Rudolf was Peterson’s defense attorney who worked the case off and on for more than a decade. On his website, Rudolf provides an “inside view” of each episode of The Staircase and discusses the theory that an owl attack led to Kathleen’s death.
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