In Anatomy of a Scandal, David E. Kelley returns to his legal drama roots — this time, exploring privilege, consent and perception. The limited series follows a London woman whose politician husband is accused of rape, the high-profile trial that follows and the connection to a mysterious incident from their past. In the span of six episodes, viewers get a glimpse inside the British legal system — replete with heated trial statements and... lots of wigs.
Following his work on The Practice and ahead of Netflix’s upcoming series The Lincoln Lawyer, Kelley teamed up with House of Cards Emmy nominee Melissa James Gibson to explore the unique dynamics of accountability. They navigate the idea that sometimes people only see the truth that they want to be real. Dive into our dossier on what to know about the drama, which debuts April 15 on Netflix, and all the key players that bring this story to life.
When politician James Whitehouse (Rupert Friend) is exposed for an affair with a young staffer, Olivia (Naomi Scott), he assumes all will be resolved once the press moves on to a new story. But then Olivia accuses him of rape, taking him to trial and divulging every detail of their affair leading up to the alleged assault. As we watch James and his wife, Sophie (Sienna Miller), grapple with the horrifying truths of his actions, we simultaneously go into a story from the couple’s past — their privileged days at Oxford University — and Sophie is left to confront the dark part of her relationship she never wanted to believe.
The trial unearths a connection to James’ days as a “libertine” at Oxford — a debaucherous social club of privileged young men who typically go on to hold powerful positions in the future. For example, James is a member of parliament, and his college best friend, Tom Southern (Geoffrey Streatfeild), is the prime minister. The story traces back to an incident involving Tom and Sophie’s study buddy, Holly Berry (Nancy Farino), who abruptly left school in their first semester. The past comes creeping back into their present-day reality.
On the surface, Sophie lives a charmed life: She raises two beautiful children while her husband works in government. But that facade crumbles after James reveals his affair with Olivia and she levies rape accusations against him. While Sophie repeatedly gives James the benefit of the doubt, troubling information about their time in college causes her to rethink the person with whom she’s chosen to spend her life.
Miller’s portrayal of Sophie is a haunting one, with clear parallels to many public-facing relationships. The actor and model is no stranger to navigating public attention herself, making her portrayal of Sophie particularly gripping. Her most recent credits include American Sniper, The Loudest Voice, The Lost City of Z and 21 Bridges.
Follow her on Instagram.
Rupert Friend as James Whitehouse
An unfaithful husband but a respected government minister, James is Sophie’s college sweetheart and husband of more than a decade. He’s portrayed as something of a golden child within parliament, with many staffers blindly loyal to his charming antics over the course of his career. According to his version of events, the encounter with Olivia was entirely consensual. But is that really what happened? A smooth talker used to getting his way, James will go to any lengths to defend himself.
Friend, a British drama veteran who has played Mr. Wickham in Pride & Prejudice, Prince Albert in The Young Victoria and the titular character in Hitman: Agent 47, is well known to American audiences as Agent Peter Quinn in the critically acclaimed spy drama Homeland.
Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
Michelle Dockery as Kate Woodcroft
The prosecutor tasked with James’ case, Kate is passionate about fighting for victims everywhere. However, this particular quest for justice hits close to home and reminds her of an incident from her own past. Over the course of the series, Kate is forced to confront realities of her past and how they tie into her present — and there’s a surprise twist in her storyline that no one will see coming.
Dockery expertly portrays Kate’s stress and poise. The seasoned actor, best known as Downton Abbey’s incomparable Lady Mary, starred in the 2017 Netflix miniseries Godless, plus other recent series including Good Behavior and Defending Jacob.
Naomi Scott as Olivia Lytton
Olivia is a parliamentary researcher on James’ staff, and they embark on a five-month affair. She accuses him of sexual assault after their breakup and details their emotional relationship in a very public courtroom.
Scott is best known as Disney’s live-action Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and is a member of both the rebooted Power Rangers and the rebooted Charlie’s Angels squads.
Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Josette Simon as Angela Regan
James’ no-nonsense defense lawyer is friends with Kate outside of the queen’s court, but in the courtroom, the two go head-to-head. Angela is quick on her feet and a formidable opponent for Kate in the courtroom.
You might recognize Simon from her role as Eithné on The Witcher or one of her many English television and stage credits. She works frequently with the Royal National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company and was awarded the OBE for drama in 2000.
