‘Happy Face’: Dennis Quaid To Play Titular Character In Paramount+ Series From Robert & Michelle King

Nellie Andreeva
·2 min read

Dennis Quaid is set to star opposite Annaleigh Ashford in Paramount+ upcoming drama series Happy Face. Quaid will play the titular role of the real-life serial killer notoriously called “Happy Face” because of the smiley faces he drew on evidence where he bragged about his crimes. Ashford stars as his daughter, Melissa.

Happy Face is inspired by the true-life story of Melissa Moore; the Happy Face podcast from iHeartPodcasts and Moore; and the autobiography Shattered Silence, written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook.

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In the series, jumping off from Moore’s true-life story. Happy Face (Quaid) is an incarcerated serial killer who also is Melissa’s (Ashford) once-beloved father. After decades of no contact, he finally finds a way to force himself back into his daughter’s life. In a race against the clock, Melissa must find out if an innocent man is going to be put to death for a crime her father committed. Throughout, she discovers the impact her father had on his victims’ families and must face a reckoning of her own identity.

The eight-episode first season of Happy Face, produced by CBS Studios in association with King Size Productions, iHeartPodcasts and Semi-Formal Productions, will begin filming this spring in Vancouver and premiere exclusively on Paramount+ globally in 2025.

Jennifer Cacicio – who also serves as showrunner – executive produces alongside Robert and Michelle King, Liz Glotzer, Melissa Moore, Conal Byrne, Will Pearson, Michael Showalter — who will direct the first episode — and Jordana Mollick.

Happy Face extends Quaid’s relationship with Paramount+ where he recently starred in the limited series Lawmen: Bass Reeves. Quaid recently completed production portraying the 40th president of the United States in the upcoming biopic Reagan, produced by Mark Joseph and directed by Sean McNamara.

Happy Face is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

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