Scarpetta's Young Cast Reveal the Things They're Dying To Do in Season 2

They also discuss working with their older counterparts to make their characters feel seamless and crushing skulls with baseball bats.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 10:00am

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The young cast of the Prime Video series Scarpetta, including Rosy McEwen, Jake Cannavale, and Hunter Parrish, discuss the challenges of playing the past versions of characters embodied by A-list actors in the present timeline. They share how they worked with their older counterparts to build their characters and make them feel seamless, as well as what they hope to see for their characters in Season 2.

Why it matters

Scarpetta is an adaptation of a popular book series, and the young cast is tasked with playing the past versions of characters portrayed by acclaimed actors in the present timeline. Their ability to make the characters feel cohesive and their own is crucial to the success of the show's narrative.

The details

Rosy McEwen, Jake Cannavale, and Hunter Parrish play the younger versions of the lead characters in Scarpetta, which follows forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta as she investigates a series of complex murders. The actors discuss how they worked closely with their older counterparts, Nicole Kidman, Bobby Cannavale, and Simon Baker, to develop mannerisms and characteristics that would make the characters feel seamless across the timelines. They also share specific moments, like McEwen's character cracking a skull with a baseball bat, that were particularly satisfying to film.

  • Scarpetta Season 2 has already begun filming.

The players

Rosy McEwen

An actress known for her breakout role in the 2022 film Blue Jean, who plays the younger version of Nicole Kidman's character, Kay Scarpetta, a forensic pathologist.

Jake Cannavale

An actor who plays the younger version of his father Bobby Cannavale's character, Pete, a charismatic but insensitive detective.

Hunter Parrish

An actor who plays the younger version of Simon Baker's character, Benton, a behaviorist who has done significant work interviewing serial killers.

Nicole Kidman

An acclaimed actress who plays the lead character of Kay Scarpetta in the present timeline of the Scarpetta series.

Bobby Cannavale

An Emmy-nominated actor who plays the character of Pete, a detective, in the present timeline of Scarpetta.

Simon Baker

An actor known for his work in shows like The Mentalist, who plays the character of Benton in the present timeline of Scarpetta.

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What they’re saying

“It was great. We actually filmed that once, and then the final scene of the whole shoot, we went back, and David Gordon Green said, 'There's not enough cracking. We need to do some more skull-cracking.' And so the final shot was the first shot you see of her with the skull that she goes and she smatters, and we got it in one take, and that was my final wrap. It was very satisfying.”

— Rosy McEwen

“We kind of dialed things in. We have a really great dialect coach who helps. He's on set when we're there, and kind of helps bring the two together, and I think that that makes all the difference. Both parties would be a little bit of an island if we didn't have that, so that's really huge. The accent for us — for Benton — is probably the most key part that kind of unites us and helps us ground and anchor in something, so that's helpful.”

— Hunter Parrish

“Bobby and I definitely found out the core of Marino and where he's operating from in each scene, and once we figured out that motivation, that inner drive, that inner conflict, what have you, the mannerisms would sort of fall into place. I guess that's probably an advantage of having the same DNA as the other actor.”

— Jake Cannavale

What’s next

Scarpetta Season 2 has already begun filming, so fans can look forward to seeing the young cast continue to develop their characters and work with their older counterparts.

The takeaway

The young cast of Scarpetta have the challenging task of playing the past versions of characters portrayed by acclaimed actors in the present timeline. Their ability to make the characters feel cohesive and their own is crucial to the success of the show's narrative, and they have found creative ways to collaborate with their older counterparts to achieve this seamless transition.