‘The Trial of Louise Woodward’: See How HBO Cast Compares to the Real People

Nearly 30 years after the trial of British au pair Louise Woodward captivated audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, one of the most controversial criminal cases of the 1990s is getting the Hollywood treatment.

HBO’s upcoming 2027 five-part limited series, The Trial of Louise Woodward, revisits the shocking death of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen, whose 18-year-old nanny was accused of fatally shaking him while caring for him at his family’s Massachusetts home. What followed was an international media circus, a sensational murder trial, and a verdict that divided public opinion.

Now, a cast led by Catriona Chandler as Louise Woodward, Meghann Fahy as Matthew’s mother, Deborah Eappen, and Sagar Radia as his father, Sunil Eappen, will bring the story back into the spotlight. The series also features Hugh Laurie, Chloë Sevigny, Joanne Froggatt, Natalia Dyer, and several other familiar faces.

But how closely do the actors resemble the real people who found themselves at the center of the case? From the young au pair whose 1997 trial made international headlines to the grieving parents and legal figures involved in the courtroom battle, we’re taking a look at the stars of The Trial of Louise Woodward alongside the people they’re portraying

The Trial of Louise Woodward, TBA 2027, HBO