Crime dramas have always been a staple in my life; series like Criminal Minds and NCIS shaped my teenage and adult years. They taught me how to stay safe in any environment and how to watch for others’ motivations, leading me to trust no one.
The Good Daughter, the upcoming crime thriller series that premieres Thursday on Peacock, brings that “don’t trust anyone” feeling to the screen with its all-star cast.
Despite an air of distrust looming around every corner of the series, one person you can trust is series star Shayna Benardo. Benardo, whose previous credits include Doom Patrol and Too Many Cooks, portrays Kelly Wilson and 18-year-old on trial for a mass school shooting.
She is represented by attorney Rusty Quinn (Brendan Gleeson), whose daughter, Charlie Quinn (Meghann Fahey), was caught up in it. Eventually, her estranged sister Sam (Rose Byrne), also an attorney, is brought in to defend Kelly. While working together the sisters uncover traumatic mysteries from their childhood and potentially repair their relationship.
Recently, we caught up with Benardo (one of the kindest and most honest people you could ever speak with) to discuss her role in The Good Daughter. We discussed her love of comedy, how she did crossword puzzles on set with Jake McDorman, her work on Doom Patrol, and what it was like working with the series’ leads, Meghann Fahy and Rose Byrne.
Let’s begin by talking about the character you’re portraying. So, Kelly Wilson is a young woman who is charged with a double homicide in her hometown. Tell us more about the character and what the audience should expect of her.
Well, Kelly’s a really complicated person, just like any 18-year-old girl, no matter what, but she is dealing with a really specific set of circumstances and views life through a really specific lens, which will be revealed throughout the series.
Awesome. And as an actress, how was portraying such a powerful and very intense role?
Well, it was a challenge. At first, I didn’t know exactly what crime Kelly was being accused of. I started out and still have so much empathy for her, and then discovering the things that made her her, and the extenuating circumstances.
I try to approach [the role] with as much respect, reverence, and education as possible, because I really want to do right by the type of person Kelly is and the trauma she experiences.
That’s really interesting to hear. So, let’s make this conversation a bit lighter. What were the funniest moments on set, and who did you have a great relationship with?
Okay, well, everyone is really great. I can’t pick just like one person, because truly, everyone on set was always so generous and fun and kind, because the subject matter is so intense. Everyone was always looking for ways to make light of things.
So the school sequence took a week to film everything that takes place in the school, and Jake McDorman and I got to spend a lot of time together hanging out on that floor.
We had a lot of fun talking about crossword puzzles, and boiled peanuts, and… just all that random stuff you never think you’re gonna talk about with the guy who plays Raymond in Aquamarine. I never thought I’d be there. But it definitely helped ease the tension of what we were doing, which was very, very intense.
And going on the topic of superheroes, since you mentioned Aquamarine, you have worked on the HBO series Doom Patrol, where you have portrayed the adult version of Roberta Steele. How was it working on a superhero series for you? Tell us more.
I love the superhero world.
Doom Patrol is such a unique show because it’s all about the anti-heroes. The story just goes through the generational trauma of each of these characters. It’s really interesting that that’s the pattern I find myself in. Doom Patrol is a heightened version of dealing with these different characters’ trauma, but working on that project was my first network show.
Yes. And I really got to see how the big leagues do it. It was the series finale, and I was portraying Brendan Fraser’s great-granddaughter. So that was cool just to be involved at all. It was amazing.
I had a lot of fun working on that project, even if it was just a little moment. It still meant so much to me.
That’s beautiful. And continuing on the topic of superhero series, are you a DC or Marvel fan? Are you excited for Doomsday? Would you be open to working on any other projects like Doom Patrol?
I can’t pick my favorite. I just … I love a good movie; I love a good story. And, I mean, I’d be happy to be a part of anything that they’d want me to be a part of. (laughs)
That’s fantastic! And going back to The Good Daughter. How was it working with Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy?
They’re the most professional, kind actresses and leaders. When you’re the top two people on the call sheet, the way you behave on set sets the tone for everyone else, and even with their grueling schedules, they were still so kind, generous, and professional the entire time.
It was really inspiring for me to see, because I strive to have careers like them one day. On my first day of filming, I walked up to Meghann because I felt so worried. I was like, ‘Oh, God, I don’t… Why am I? How did I get here?’ But I walked up to her and let her know I was feeling a little nervous. She just put her arm around me, and she was like, ‘You have nothing to be worried about, and if you need anything, just come talk to me; I got you.’
She’s lovely. They’re both very lovely. And I got to spend so much time with Rose Byrne. Lucky me. (laughs) She’s really funny.
It’s really great to hear how they made the experience even more meaningful. And on the topic of meaningful experiences, you have portrayed a few roles as of right now, so what are the dream projects that you hope to work on in the future?
Ooh, that’s a great question. Dream projects…. I do a lot of serious stuff, and there’s not a lot of opportunity for me to explore comedy. So I do that on my own [with] my writing, and things that I do with my friends. So I’d love to get into that. I don’t know if Judd Apatow wants to give me a call; I’m in. There’s just a world out there.
I am interested in exploring a lot of genres. Horror’s having a great [moment]… horror’s always having a great moment, but I’d love to get involved in the horror genre. I don’t know if you saw the movie Obsession. I loved it.
Yes, yes. It was really, really good.
So good. Yeah.
Awesome, awesome! Now let’s go back to The Good Daughter, your most recent project. This series is based on the famous 2017 novel by Karen Slaughter. Did you read the book before taking on this role, and what was your preparation for it?
Yeah. So I did read the book as soon as I heard I got the part. I was like, let me just rip into it, and I flew through it, because the writing’s amazing. Karen’s amazing. She’s a legend when it comes to thriller writing and, in many other ways, I should say. She’s just a legendary girl. But as far as preparing for the role, I mean, I knew that the series wasn’t going to be, like, word for word, but it was pretty close. So I spent a lot of time focusing on what makes Kelly who she is, and by that, instead of focusing on an end product, or a vision of what I thought she would be like, I would focus on five or six different traits that come together at the end of the day to give you one final product instead of having an expectation.
Yeah, totally fantastic. And speaking about dream roles, since you said that this was a really great role to be a part of, do you have any dream actors or actresses that you would like to work with in the future?
Oh, I love Andrew Scott so much. I think he’s just such a talent. I think Merritt Wever is having a moment right now, and I adore her. I’d like to personally want to campaign for me and her to be stepsisters on White Lotus? That would be hilarious. I would… I would enjoy that.
Definitely those two for sure. The list is long, and believe me, like, I update it! I have a list on my phone; I update it every day. But those are the two for today, I guess I’ll say.
That’s really, really great. And to conclude, tell The Pop Break readers what to expect from The Good Daughter series as a whole, and what kind of twists and turns we will see.
The Good Daughter, gosh.
You’re not ready. There are a lot of twists and turns, and a lot of surprises. I don’t want to give too much away.
Because part of what makes the story so amazing, and what’s so amazing about Karen’s writing, is all of the suspense.
That’s built up, and somehow there’s always a through-line of comedic relief. So getting to play in that world is just… was such a joy, and I think it’s just gonna be super entertaining for everyone to watch.
