After playing a disturbing shrimp-chomping creep in The Substance, actor Dennis Quaid is switching gears to murderer mode in the upcoming disturbing thriller series Happy Face on Paramount+, where he will portray serial killer Keith Jesperson, a.k.a. the "Happy Face Killer."
Happy Face is based on the true story of Jesperson's daughter, Melissa G. Moore. Emmy-nominated and Tony Award-winning actress Analeigh Ashford stars as Melissa in the show, acting opposite Quaid, who plays the titular killer.
The Paramount+ series, which premieres this March, was inspired by Moore's acclaimed Happy Face podcast and her autobiography, Shattered Silence, which she co-wrote with M. Bridget Cook.
When Moore was just 15 years old, she learned the horrific truth about her father, that he was the prolific serial killer dubbed the Happy Face killer by the media. The real Jesperson is currently serving life in prison without the chance of parole.
In 2014, BBC published an essay by Moore about growing up with Jesperson, revealing the dark and disturbing details of his true nature. Jesperson reportedly confessed to killing 160 women, though it is believed he killed eight, several of whom were never identified. He became known as the Happy Face Killer because of his penchant for signing his "confessions" with smiley faces. His crimes reportedly took place between 1990 and 1995. He was ultimately arrested on March 30, 1995, and later sentenced to serve four consecutive life sentences.
The Paramount+ Original Series will jump off from Moore's real story, following "Melissa (Ashford) and her incarcerated father, known as the Happy Face Killer (Quaid). After decades of no contact, he finally finds a way to force himself back into his daughter’s life. In a race against the clock, Melissa must find out if an innocent man is going to be put to death for a crime her father committed. Throughout, she discovers the impact her father had on his victims’ families and must face a reckoning of her own identity."
Moore has previously appeared on several talk shows to discuss what life was like growing up as the daughter of a serial killer, including The Oprah Winfrey Show and Dr. Phil. In 2014, Scream star David Arquette played Jesperson in the made-for-television film Happy Face Killer that aired on Lifetime.
In addition to the first teaser, Paramount+ also shared three posters for the series, one of which features a disturbing note from Jesperson that reads, "Melissa, you can't hide forever."
Happy Face will premiere exclusively on Paramount+ starting on Thursday, March 20. The streamer will release the first two episodes of the series at that time, followed by weekly releases. Besides Ashford and Quaid, the series also stars James Wolk and Tamera Tomakili.