Elisabeth Moss To Play Real-Life Axe Killer Candy Montgomery In New Limited Series

Emmy Award-winning actress Elisabeth Moss is set to take on a deliciously wicked new role in a new limited series, playing real-life Texas suburban housewife and killer Candace "Candy" Montgomery.

The series — tentatively titled “Candy” — will follow the true story of Montgomery, a Texas housewife who “seemingly had it all— a loving husband with a good job, a daughter and a son, a nice house in the brand new suburbs."

At least, until she killed friend and fellow church parishioner Betty Gore with an axe, according to the official description of the limited series obtained by TVLine. A spokesperson for Universal Content Productions confirmed the announcement to Oxygen.com.

It was later learned that Montgomery had been having an affair with Gore’s husband when she attacked the school teacher with the axe — leaving Gore dead in a pool of blood in a laundry room, according to a 1984 profile of the case in Texas Monthly.

Despite the evidence against her, Montgomery was ultimately acquitted at trial — with the jury finding she had acted in self-defense when she killed Gore, according to an archived report from UPI.

The limited series from UCP will reunite Moss, who serves as an executive producer of the series, with Robin Veitch, who was once a writer on the AMC series “Mad Men,” Variety reported.

Veitch wrote the pilot episode of “Candy” and will also serve as an executive producer. Nick Antosca will executive produce the limited series under his banner "Eat the Cat" along with Alex Hedlund.

Veitch and Antosca previously worked together on the Hulu true crime drama “The Act,” starring Patricia Arquette and focusing on the case of Gypsy Rose Blanchard.

“The unique tale of Candy Montgomery is one Nick has been passionate about telling for a very long time. After working with Robin on 'The Act,' the two crafted an incredible script that is tense, twisted and tempting,” UCP President Dawn Olmstead said in a statement provided to Oxygen.com. “With her range of work speaking for itself, Elisabeth is dream casting for us and the care and thoughtfulness she will bring to the complex events that unfolded really deepens the project. I wish I was already sitting on the couch in a dark room watching the opening credits right now.”

Moss — who has earned critical acclaim for her ongoing role in Hulu's “The Handmaids Tale” — said she was eager to take on the role of the real-life killer.

“I have been wanting to play an anti-heroine for a while now, and have been trying to work with Robin again after ‘Mad Men’ for even longer, so when she asked me if I wanted to play a housewife from Texas who, some would say, got away with murder, I simply said, ‘Where do I sign?’” Moss said in a statement about the role. “Adding the opportunity to work with Nick after his incredible work on ‘The Act’ was like taking a delicious dessert and putting 100 cherries on top.”

Moss’ other recent acting credits include the 2020 thriller “An Invisible Man” and the recently released drama “Shirley.”

The limited series is not currently tied to any network or streaming service, though UCP said it will be shopping the series to both "premium and streaming platforms."

UCP and Oxygen share a parent company in NBCUniversal.