Renee Zellweger knows 'The Thing About Pam' in NBC limited series
Renée Zellweger has immersed herself in roles many times, but even she admits her latest one takes that to a new extent.
The two-time Oscar winner (for “Cold Mountain” and “Judy”) makes an exceedingly rare television appearance in NBC's limited series “The Thing About Pam,” a true-crime story premiering Tuesday, March 8. Based on a case that inspired multiple “Dateline NBC” episodes and a popular podcast, the tale - which strikes a balance between hard fact and offbeat whimsy - also stars Glenn Fleshler (“Billions”) as a man convicted of killing his wife (Katy Mixon, “Mike & Molly”), though he maintained his innocence and was eventually exonerated.
However, also involved was a friend of the victim, quirky Pam Hupp (Zellweger). The nature of the connection between the two women became of great interest to investigators and the two attorneys (played by Josh Duhamel and Judy Greer), who were on opposing sides of the husband's legal situation.
Almost all of Zellweger's previous TV work came before her star-making turn in “Jerry Maguire.” She says that, in returning to the medium, “I enjoyed it a lot. I think it suits me. I like the pace. I love that it's quick, and you have to think fast on your feet ... not so different from making independent films. You've got to make the most of the little bit of time that you have.”
Still, for Zellweger, “The Thing About Pam” involved a makeup and prosthetics job that started at four hours daily. (It eventually was whittled down to just over half of that.)
“That's part of your tool kit that makes it easier to achieve what it is that you're trying to do,” Zellweger reasons, “in terms of telling someone else's story. And the further you are away from yourself, the safer you feel to explore.”
“The Thing About Pam” marks a collaboration of somewhat unlikely partners, NBC News Studios and Blumhouse, the production company known for low-budget, high-profit horror films.
“When a two-time Oscar winner calls and says, 'I'm obsessed with this story, and I want to play Pam, and I want to produce' ... I mean, you say, 'Yes, yes, yes and yes,'” muses Blumhouse chief Chris McCumber. “Our job, at that point, is to provide Renee and the rest of the cast with all the tools that they need to embody these characters.”
Zellweger notes: “I binged the podcast, actually, when I was driving up and down (California's) 5 Freeway, going to take my dog to get his hip replaced up in San Francisco. And I couldn't believe it. It was just an experience of escalating absurdities, and it felt like it would be something really interesting to explore further.”