Australian actor Eric Bana’s latest project, TV series Dirty John, is set to air on Netflix! The series will air on Bravo in the US, however Netflix has just picked up the rights to premiere the show internationally.
Based on the investigative reporting and true time podcast by Los Angeles Timesjournalist Chris Goffard, Dirty John will follow the twisted romance between Debra Newell (Connie Britton) and John Meehan (Eric Bana).
Debra was searching for love when she met a charming man named John on an over-50s dating site in 2014. Their fairy-tale romance quickly turned dark, as his criminal past and manipulative behaviour reared its ugly head. He was not the man he had pretended to be.
Eric and Connie will also serve as executive producers on the show.
Eric Bana will star as the XX John Meehan.
Connie Britton stars as John’s victim Debra Newell.
In case you weren’t obsessed with the podcast in 2017, here’s a quick breakdown of the story (some spoilers included).
Two months after their awkward first date, Debra and John quickly moved in together. They married in secret shortly after, as Debra’s family had grown suspicious of her partner.
After hiring a private investigator, her children realised that John had spent years in prison for various crimes and had restraining orders taken out against him by multiple women.
When Debra discovered the evidence against John, she temporarily filed to have their marriage annulled, before withdrawing her application and choosing to forgive him.
The podcast looks in to the reasons why Debra – and many victims – chose to stay in such an environment. The podcast links her decision to her religious upbringing, and the 1984 murder of her sister Cindi, who was killed by her husband after asking for a divorce.
The podcast explores how John was able to manipulate Debra in to staying, and the tragic way their story later ended in 2016.
You can read the six-part Dirty John articles on the LA Times website here, or listen to the podcast here.
A premiere date for the Dirty John series is yet to be confirmed by Netflix, stay tuned for more details!
