Amanda Seyfried Breaks Boundaries in Crime Drama ‘Long Bright River’: “I Never Thought I’d Play a Cop”

In her gripping role as a Philadelphia detective, Seyfried embraces authority, vulnerability, and societal realism in Peacock’s new miniseries exploring addiction and loss.

Washington [US], March 25: Amanda Seyfried is pushing past personal and industry-imposed boundaries in her latest role as a cop in the gripping crime drama Long Bright River, now streaming on Peacock.

Speaking about the show, which has premiered to critical acclaim and entered international competition at Series Mania, Seyfried admitted she never imagined herself in a role of such authority.

“I never thought I was going to get the opportunity to play a cop,” she told Deadline. “I think I put those limits on myself. The industry sees you a certain way for years—I was young, I’m slight—and I didn’t think I could command authority. Now I feel like I can play anything.”

In Long Bright River, Seyfried plays Mickey Fitzpatrick, a Philadelphia police officer investigating a string of murders and the disappearance of her sister. The show draws comparisons to Mare of Easttown, with its gritty tone and emotionally layered lead character.

The series is based on Liz Moore’s best-selling novel and adapted for television by Nikki Toscano. It also stars Nicholas Pinnock, Ashleigh Cummings, and John Doman, and is produced and sold by Sony Pictures Television.

“When I found out about this, I went straight to the audiobook and finished it in less than two days,” Seyfried said. “When the scripts came in, I thought, ‘How have they taken the best parts of the book and made them even more real and dimensional?’”

More than a psychological thriller, Long Bright River dives into the opioid crisis, a theme that resonated deeply with Seyfried during production.

“Most of us have been touched by addiction in some way. But to really see it from this perspective, to talk to people living in Kensington, to witness the struggle—it changed me,” she shared. “There’s not enough space or respect given to those trying to recover. We need to do better.”

The series premiered this week on Peacock and continues to generate buzz internationally, with Seyfried making the trip to Lille, France for its Series Mania debut.