Nicole Kidman is returning to television (did she ever leave?) in the new Prime Video series, Scarpetta. And she’s playing Jamie Lee Curtis‘ younger sister.
The upcoming crime thriller is based on the bestselling novels by Patricia Cornwell, and features Kidman in the lead role of Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a brilliant forensic pathologist. The show is developed and written for television by Liz Sarnoff, a nine-time Emmy nominee for her work on Barry, Lost, and Deadwood. With over 120 million copies sold worldwide since the first book was published in 1990, this TV adaptation is a long time coming for diehard fans.
Read on for everything to know about Scarpetta.
Who’s in the cast?
Jamie Lee Curtis, Nicole Kidman, and Simon Baker in ‘Scarpetta’Prime Video
Kidman (Oscar winner for The Hours) leads the star-studded ensemble that also includes Curtis (Oscar winner for Everything Everywhere All at Once) as Dorothy Scarpetta, Kay’s sister; Bobby Cannavale (Emmy winner for Will & Grace and Boardwalk Empire) as Pete Marino, a former detective; Simon Baker as Benton Wesley, an FBI profiler; and Ariana DeBose (Oscar winner for West Side Story) as Lucy Farinelli-Watson, Dorothy’s daughter.
Additional cast members include Rosy McEwen, Amanda Righetti, Jake Cannavale, and Hunter Parrish, who portray the past versions of Kidman, Curtis, Cannavale, and Baker’s characters, respectively.
What is the premiere date?
Scarpetta will debut on March 11, exclusively on Prime Video, in more than 240 countries and territories. It will be eligible at the 2026 Emmys. A video trailer will be unveiled at a later date.
What is the plot?
Nicole Kidman in ‘Scarpetta’Prime Video
From Prime Video: “With skilled hands and an unnerving eye, this unrelenting medical examiner is determined to serve as the voice of the victims, unmask a serial killer, and prove that her career-making case from 28 years prior isn’t also her undoing. Set against the backdrop of modern forensic investigation, the series delves beyond the crime scene to explore the psychological complexities of both perpetrators and investigators, creating a multi-layered thriller that examines the toll of pursuing justice at all costs.”
The narrative unfolds across two timelines, exploring Kay Scarpetta’s journey from her beginnings as a Chief Medical Examiner in the late ’90s, to her present-day return to her hometown, where she resumes her former position while investigating a recent murder.
Who’s behind the scenes?
Scarpetta is executive produced by Nicole Kidman and Per Saari through Blossom Films, Jamie Lee Curtis through Comet Pictures, writer and showrunner Liz Sarnoff through Sarnoff TV, author Patricia Cornwell through P & S Projects, and Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, Chris Dickie, and Chris McCumber through Blumhouse Television. David Gordon Green directs five episodes and also serves as executive producer alongside Amy Sayres.
Nicole Kidman’s awards history
In addition to her aforementioned Oscar for The Hours (2002), Kidman was nominated for Moulin Rouge! (2001), Rabbit Hole (2010), Lion (2016), and Being the Ricardos (2021). She’s been doing much more TV work in recent years, receiving a 2012 Emmy nomination for Hemingway & Gellhorn, and winning two trophies for starring in and producing Big Little Lies in 2017. She has five Golden Globes on her mantelpiece for To Die For, Moulin Rouge!, The Hours, Big Little Lies, and Being the Ricardos, plus one Actor Award (formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Award) for Big Little Lies.