Elin Hilderbrand Wanted Liev Schreiber to Play Tag inThe Perfect Couple: 'Thought He Would Be So Perfect' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Elin Hilderbrand, Liev Schreiber.Photo:Jesse Grant/Variety via Getty; ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty

Jesse Grant/Variety via Getty; ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty

Elin Hilderbrandended up with the “perfect” cast forThe Perfect Couple.

The bestselling author, known for her Nantucket-based novels, revealed to PEOPLE at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s latest murder-mystery series — which is based on her 2018 book of the same name — that she actually hadLiev Schreiberin mind for the role even before he was cast.

“I did give a wishlist specifically,” Hilderbrand says, of the show casting. “Well, specifically once I knew Nic was playing Greer, I really wanted Liev to do it.”

“I was a hugeRay Donovanfan, he’s one of my favorite actors. And I sent my wish to the showrunner,” she adds. “And she said, ‘I don’t know.’ And then a few weeks later, she goes, ‘Elin, you might get your wish.’ And she didn’t say in regard to what, but I was hoping that’s what she was talking about.”

Elin Hilderbrand attends the Los Angeles premiere of ‘The Perfect Couple’ at The Egyptian Theatre on September 4, 2024.Charley Gallay/Getty

Charley Gallay/Getty

The Perfect Couplemarks Hilderbrand’s first project that’s been given on-screen treatment. As she explains, she believes the “murder-mystery” aspect of it has something to do with that.

“It’s so funny because I thought, ‘OK, I’m going to try and write a murder mystery. And I had never done it before and I didn’t follow any kind of formula,” Hilderbrand says. “I didn’t plot it out ahead of time. I did not know whodunnit until two-thirds of the way through the book.”

“I thought it was one person, and then two thirds of the way through the book, I thought, ‘No, it’s not that person. It’s this person.’ And so I surprised even myself,” the author adds. “So I think that element of the twists and turns as I was writing it, I think that makes it really prime television material.”

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Kidman, Schreiber and other stars of the series attended the Los Angeles premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 4 at the Egyptian Theatre. Among them, Meghann Fahy, Eve Hewson and Adina Porter also stepped out to celebrate the occasion.

The Perfect Couplepremieres Sept. 5 on Netflix.

source: people.com