The cast of Love and Death continues to attract widespread attention in 2025 as viewers revisit HBO’s acclaimed limited series that dramatized one of Texas’s most chilling true-crime stories. Featuring a powerful ensemble led by Elizabeth Olsen and Jesse Plemons, the show has cemented itself as one of the most compelling dramatizations of the last decade.
Based on real-life events from the late 1970s and early 1980s, Love and Death tells the story of Candy Montgomery, a suburban Texas housewife accused of murdering her friend Betty Gore. The show captivated audiences with its blend of small-town authenticity, psychological complexity, and powerhouse performances from a cast that brought the real-life tragedy to life with nuance and empathy.
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Overview of Love and Death
Love and Death premiered on HBO Max on April 27, 2023, and ran for seven episodes. Created by David E. Kelley, the series was directed by Lesli Linka Glatter and inspired by the nonfiction book Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs by John Bloom and Jim Atkinson.
Set in the small town of Wylie, Texas, the series examines how Candy Montgomery’s seemingly ordinary life spiraled into scandal and violence. When she begins an affair with her friend’s husband, what starts as a quiet secret culminates in one of the most shocking murders in Texas history.
The show has continued to find new audiences on Max and through award-season buzz, keeping its talented cast in the spotlight more than two years after its premiere.
Main Cast and Their Roles
The success of Love and Death owes much to its all-star lineup. Each actor delivers a layered, emotionally charged performance that elevates the series beyond standard true-crime fare.
Here’s a full breakdown of the cast of Love and Death and the characters they portray:
| Actor | Character | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Olsen | Candy Montgomery | A churchgoing wife and mother whose affair leads to shocking violence and a high-profile trial. |
| Jesse Plemons | Allan Gore | Betty’s husband and Candy’s lover, caught between guilt and longing. |
| Lily Rabe | Betty Gore | Candy’s close friend and eventual victim, whose quiet life unravels in tragedy. |
| Patrick Fugit | Pat Montgomery | Candy’s husband, an engineer blindsided by his wife’s affair and its deadly consequences. |
| Tom Pelphrey | Don Crowder | Candy’s charismatic defense attorney who turns the trial into a media spectacle. |
| Krysten Ritter | Sherry Cleckler | Candy’s best friend, who provides support but wrestles with her own doubts. |
| Elizabeth Marvel | Jackie Ponder | A friend and church member in the small Texas community. |
| Keir Gilchrist | Ron Adams | A young pastor navigating the fallout in his congregation. |
| Adam Cropper | Robert Udashen | The level-headed co-counsel assisting Don Crowder in Candy’s defense. |
Together, the ensemble captures the complexities of life in a small, deeply religious Texas town where secrets simmer beneath the surface.
Elizabeth Olsen’s Career-Defining Performance
At the center of Love and Death is Elizabeth Olsen, who delivers one of her most acclaimed performances to date as Candy Montgomery.
Olsen’s portrayal of Candy is both sympathetic and unnerving. She presents Candy as a woman trapped between societal expectations and her own emotional dissatisfaction, transforming from a church volunteer into a central figure in a shocking murder trial.
Critics praised Olsen for her restraint and authenticity, noting that she avoided sensationalism and instead portrayed Candy as a flawed, deeply human figure. Her performance earned her nominations for major television awards, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series.
Jesse Plemons as Allan Gore: Quiet Complexity
Jesse Plemons, known for his roles in Breaking Bad and Fargo, plays Allan Gore with quiet intensity. His portrayal of a reserved, conflicted man caught between loyalty and desire adds depth to the story’s emotional core.
Plemons’ ability to capture Allan’s guilt and denial humanizes a character often overshadowed by the crime itself. His nuanced performance showcases how ordinary people can become entangled in extraordinary and devastating circumstances.
Lily Rabe’s Heartbreaking Turn as Betty Gore
Lily Rabe, a veteran of American Horror Story, delivers a haunting performance as Betty Gore. Her version of Betty is not merely a victim but a complex woman navigating depression, isolation, and marital strain.
Rabe’s portrayal brings emotional weight to the series, making Betty’s final scenes both tragic and deeply unsettling. Many fans and critics credit her work with grounding the show’s moral tension and humanizing the woman whose death became the center of national attention.
Supporting Cast Brings Small-Town Life to the Forefront
The supporting cast of Love and Death plays a crucial role in shaping the series’ atmosphere of faith, gossip, and quiet suspicion.
- Patrick Fugit captures the confusion of a husband blindsided by betrayal.
- Tom Pelphrey injects energy into the courtroom scenes as Don Crowder, balancing flamboyance and compassion.
- Krysten Ritter provides warmth and realism as Candy’s confidante, reflecting the community’s divided loyalties.
- Elizabeth Marvel and Keir Gilchrist round out the ensemble with performances that emphasize the moral and spiritual struggles unfolding in the background.
Together, their performances immerse viewers in a world where appearances mask turmoil and morality is constantly tested.
Behind the Scenes: Production and Realism
Love and Death was filmed primarily in Austin and surrounding areas in Texas, giving it an authentic Southern backdrop that mirrors the real events. Production designers worked meticulously to recreate late-1970s suburban life, from the clothing and cars to the architecture of the homes and churches featured in the show.
The series also gained praise for its realistic courtroom scenes, which were based on trial transcripts and firsthand accounts. The attention to detail gives viewers a sense of stepping directly into the world of Wylie, Texas, as it was during the time of the murder and trial.
Audience Reception and Critical Praise
Upon release, Love and Death received strong reviews from critics and audiences alike. The cast was singled out for bringing humanity to a story that could have easily become exploitative.
Reviewers applauded the show’s balance between drama and restraint, crediting the actors for maintaining emotional authenticity. The chemistry between Olsen and Plemons, in particular, was highlighted for capturing the awkwardness and tension of a forbidden affair.
The series currently holds high viewer ratings across multiple platforms, and its continued popularity on Max has made it a touchstone for modern true-crime storytelling.
Awards and Recognition
The ensemble cast of Love and Death received multiple nominations during the 2024 and 2025 awards seasons. Elizabeth Olsen earned recognition at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards, while Jesse Plemons and Lily Rabe received critical mentions for their supporting performances.
The show also received praise for its cinematography, production design, and writing, with David E. Kelley’s adaptation applauded for maintaining sensitivity toward real-life individuals while exploring broader themes of desire, repression, and guilt.
Why the Cast Still Resonates in 2025
The reason Love and Death remains relevant years after its release lies in its exceptional performances and its exploration of human emotion beneath a sensational crime. Each member of the cast contributed to a narrative that transcended the true-crime genre, making audiences question not just what happened, but why.
In 2025, new viewers discovering the show through Max or digital streaming continue to be captivated by the chemistry and depth of the performances. The cast’s ability to make a decades-old story feel current ensures that Love and Death holds a lasting place among the most acclaimed true-crime adaptations of the decade.
The cast of Love and Death turned a tragic real story into a powerful study of emotion, morality, and the fragile boundaries of suburban life — and their performances will continue to define true-crime storytelling for years to come.