Note: This story contains spoilers from the Season 1 finale of “Presumed Innocent”
Did you predict that final reveal in “Presumed Innocent”? The person who killed Carolyn Polhemus (Renate Reinsve) was not Rusty Sabich (Jake Gyllenhaal), his wife Barbara (Ruth Negga) or their sometimes suspicious seeming son Kyle (Kingston Rumi Southwick).
Instead, we learned that it was Rusty’s daughter Jaden (Chase Infiniti), who not only knew about her father’s affair, but went to Carolyn’s house that night to tell her to stay away him. When Carolyn revealed she was pregnant with Rusty’s child, Jaden lost it and repeatedly struck her with the fire poker, then covered her tracks.
Rusty returned and found Carolyn’s body and immediately thought Barbara had committed the crime (which is how the 1990 movie ended). He staged the body to look like a previous case to confuse the situation and drive suspicion away from Barbara. After he was acquitted, Rusty told Barbara he had done all this to protect her. She had no idea what he was talking about, but Jaden did… and told her shocked parents the truth.
TheWrap spoke with Infinti, who made her acting debut in the Apple TV+ series and is now set to star in Paul Thomas Anderson’s next film. The reveal was a
“complete surprise” that left her “speechless,” she said.
TheWrap: What was your reaction when you first learned that your character was the killer?
Chase Infiniti: I was speechless at first. Some people read the script for the finale before I did. They would come up to me saying, “Oh my gosh, you’re the killer! It was Jaden! Are you excited? Scared?” I immediately rushed to read the script and it had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
How far into the process did you find out Jaden was the killer and how did it feel when you found out?
I found out when I received the script. No one had any idea who the killer was until the script was published. It was a complete surprise for not only me but everyone on set.
Were you more shocked or excited that it ended up being Jaden? Or maybe sad?
A mix of all three, honestly. I was excited to explore that part of her story and tackle the challenge. I also felt extremely heartbroken for Jaden, she had to cope with the unspeakable guilt and reality of her actions all while suppressing the truth because her father is paying the price for her crime.
Did you get a heads up call or did you find out when you got the script
David [E. Kelley] wanted us to experience the script first, and honestly I had no idea before reading.
What was the reaction of your costars, especially Jake and Ruth
I received nothing but overwhelming support from my co-stars, especially Jake and Ruth. I was for sure a little nervous about what this meant not only for Jaden, but for the overall story and the two of them helped me in ways I am forever grateful for.
Was it tougher filming the murder scene or keeping the secret that Jaden was the killer?
Filming the murder scene and all the elements around it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. The mental space I went into was extremely dark and the physical toll it took on me was heavy. If it weren’t for the support of Jake, Ruth, Anne and everyone else on set, I’m not sure how I would’ve managed. Keeping it a secret was so difficult! I didn’t tell anyone, not even my parents.
All episodes of “Presumed Innocent” are now streaming on Apple TV+.
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