Rosy McEwen doesn’t see the resemblance between her and Nicole Kidman, but it’s the springboard off which she leapt into co-leading a major Amazon Prime Video adaptation with the Oscar-winning Aussie.
“I think that’s probably why I was brought on so early,” the British actress ponders to The Hollywood Reporter about Scarpetta, which released its full season on Wednesday. “My agent, Chris Andrews, when this came up, was like, ‘Well, you have to meet Rosy because she looks [just like Kidman]. They have a look.’ And it makes sense, we’re both quite tall, we’re both left-handed,” she adds. “People have stopped me on the street before to say, ‘Do you know you look just like Nicole Kidman?'”
But it’s not just the genetic lottery that’s nabbed McEwen — star of Blue Jean, Rabbit Trap, and more recently, Black Mirror — this meaty crime drama role. She happens to be a real talent in her native U.K., and playing the younger version of Kidman’s leading forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta (based on Patricia Cornwell’s beloved novels) felt right for all involved.
McEwen’s story is told in flashbacks running parallel with the current day, with Kidman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Cannavale, Ariana DeBose and Simon Baker in major roles. As the modern-day Kay faces a case that mirrors a haunting investigation from her past, McEwen takes us back to the late ’90s alongside Jake Cannavale (playing a younger version of his real-life father) and Hunter Parrish (as Kay’s future husband), when landmark breakthroughs in forensic science were yet to be discovered.
“I love the fact that you [see] getting a DNA sample in the ’90s compared to getting a DNA sample in 2026, and the difference between trying to solve a crime 20 years ago to what it is now, and how fast things are,” continues McEwen about what makes Scarpetta feel fresh in an oversaturated market. “I think there’s something for all detective fanatics out there… paired with a bit of real-life family drama.”
Below, McEwen talks about the making of Scarpetta. She reveals the “Nicole-isms” that helped to match up hers and Kidman’s performances, the relief of Cornwell being “so trusting” with her beloved character, and why, whether you’re familiar with the books or not, you’ll fall in love with Kay Scarpetta: “She’s a living, breathing human, and that’s quite an integral part of the story, and then she happens to be a detective. I think we don’t see that very much.”
We last spoke about Black Mirror — I want to know how Scarpetta came up.
Gosh, I think I was on board really early, because me and Nicole share an agent. He obviously knew about it — way before they even started the casting. So I had a meeting with Liz Sarnoff, who’s the showrunner, really early on, like six months before they went to shoot. And that was it. I just had a really good chat with them. We just got on really well. I had never read the books, but my mum was a huge fan. She’s a very beloved character, Kay Scarpetta, from the ’90s. And she was kind of the first ever female detective — serious and smart and takes no bullshit. And my mum and my auntie, as well, always said to me: “That’s what we loved about them. It was so nice to have read a book [with] these dark, twisty stories, but have a woman at the heart of it.” Because that felt quite rare.
Was your mum quite adamant you take the role?
I remember when I told her about what this potential plan was. I was like, “It’s a show, Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis are in it, and it’s about this detective!” And she was like, “Oh, that sounds really cool.” And then the last bit of information I told her, she was like, “What’s it called?” I was like, “Scarpetta.” And then she starts going a bit mad, like, “Why didn’t you start with that? I love Scarpetta. I’ve read them all.” I knew they were a big deal but I think it was slightly before my time.
What was the juicy part of this show for you?
You always want to play women that you feel you would want to meet in real life. I mean, obviously you don’t have the luxury of always choosing characters that resonate with you so fully, but playing a woman who’s powerful and angry and smart and driven… She’s like, “I don’t want kids, I just want to do my work.” She’s so unique in that way. And there are endless scripts you get through where a woman is making decisions based on a man, and [Kay] is so far from doing that. I guess, sometimes when you play characters, the feeling slightly seeps into your life. Who you are as the character kind of ends up who you play on set or [who] you are in the rehearsal room. And I’ve noticed that a lot, if you’re playing someone who’s really angry or really timid, you kind of end up being that person even within the group. So to play someone who doesn’t really care and is so driven… It gives you a sense of that as well, in your own life. That’s a very alluring part to play as an actor.
Was it kind of cathartic playing someone as strong as Kay?
I don’t know if cathartic was the word, because she’s actually very stressed. (Laughs.) It’s her first day on this massive job, and she’s in her early 30s, and she’s one of the youngest people to ever do it. I wanted more of a release for her throughout the series, which she does kind of get, but moving into season two, I’ll let her relax a bit.
At what point in the process was everyone like, “Oh, you also really look like a young Nicole Kidman”?
Well, I think that’s probably why I was brought on so early. Because my agent, Chris Andrews, when this came up, was like, “Well, you have to meet Rosy because she looks [just like Kidman]. They have a look.” And it makes sense, we’re both quite tall, we’re both left-handed. I don’t see it that much, and people close to me don’t see it, but people have stopped me on the street before to say, “Do you know you look just like Nicole Kidman?” So I think that’s probably why I was brought on board so early. It just made sense.
Obviously it’s not the only reason you got this role…
It was definitely a starting point, and probably why it happened so quickly. And also, I think the age difference is pretty much spot on. So there were a lot of stars aligning there.
I wonder how much time you spent with Nicole through this process — your scenes don’t overlap, but surely there must have been conversations about playing Kay, her mannerisms, her voice?
We did. I had more of a luxury, because there’s a lot of Nicole’s work out there that I can watch. And before started it, I rewatched a lot of old films that she’d done to kind of pick up on a few things. But obviously, she’s playing a character, so I couldn’t do an impression of Nicole Kidman in other films, but I thought I’d pick up on a bit. And then we had a couple of rehearsals together at the beginning, had a few chats, met with an amazing woman called Dr. Amy Hawes, who’s a pathologist. I think we both soaked up a lot from that. And then as we started, we were kind of watching each other a bit. I’d go to days that she was filming and watch, and then we had the same dialect coach. We had things called Nicole-isms. And he was like, “Oh, you should put a Nicole-ism here.” So I would have little things under my sleeve, little things that she does to try and put into moments, to try and stay aligned. But at one point, I think maybe about a month in, you kind of just have to start running with it, because you don’t want to be totally constricted when they’re not even in the room with you. So by about a month in, I was like, I kind of have to take what I’ve got and run with that.
What Nicole Kidman films did you watch in preparation?
The ones that stayed with me were Birth, which I love, and To Die For as well.
It was fun. It was more daunting. It was actually harder than I thought it would be. I didn’t think much of it, really — sharing a character. [Normally], when you start filming the first few weeks, you’re really finding your feet, and then you let go and just let something take over, and you’re like, “This is who this person is now.” Whereas this time, I didn’t quite find that freedom for so long. I was like, “Wait, is Nicole doing this? Is Nicole doing this?” And I would ask people, like, “Does she button up her coat?” All these little things, I’d constantly be checking in. So it took me a long time to completely let go. It was a different challenge.
But then in other ways, it offers you a whole pool of inspiration, because then you’re like, “Wait, what is she doing for this? Oh, that’s cool. I’m gonna take that.” So it’s a double-edged sword.
Did you learn a lot from her, maybe not even related to the show?
I wish I had more time with her. That was the other thing I didn’t really think [about]. When I signed on, I was like, “Ooh, yay.” And then I was like, “Oh, wait, I didn’t actually get to do any acting with her.” Which was so frustrating. We’d be passing ships in the night.
Did you cross over with any of the elder versions in the show?
Honestly, it was as if we were doing two different shows. There was a dinner at the beginning, and I got to meet everyone. And then occasionally on set, I’d have like a, “Oh my god, hi. How’s it going? ” And that was it.
Do you consider yourself a true crime fan?
Honestly, no. [Laughs.] I’m a kitchen sink drama kind of gal! But that’s why I love this job. You get to learn every time you have a new character, like, “Okay, this is interesting, what I get to pick up here.” I did loads of research, had extensive meetings with Amy, the pathologist, and took notes. I saw videos of autopsies, we had fake bodies, and we would get knives and cut into them and pull out all the organs. She was with us every day on set. So we had quite a few days where we had these silicone bodies with all these organs, and I’d be quite timid with the big wrenches trying to take the ribs off. She’d be like, “You got to go for it. You got to really wrench. Your rib is really hard!” She was this amazing Southern woman. Yeah, she just kind of cut the bullshit. I was really grateful to have her.
In such an oversaturated market at the moment, what makes Scarpetta feel so fresh?
Well, I guess having two storylines is kind of a new, unique way to do things. I hope that adds a bit of a different dimension. Also, like the books, there’s such an emphasis on Kay as a woman, and how she’s feeling and her sister and the drama. She’s a living, breathing human, and that’s quite an integral part of the story — and then she happens to be a detective. I think we don’t see that very much. You don’t have that much ownership — it’s either one or the other. I feel like they’ve struck that balance pretty evenly, actually.
Did you talk to Patricia about Kay and how she wanted her to be portrayed on screen?
I did, but she was amazing. Patricia was like, “She’s yours. Just go.” She was so trusting. I don’t think she felt like she had any ownership of her. Even now, I speak to her about it and she’ll say the same thing. She’ll say, “I feel like Kay came down to me and I lent her to you, and I didn’t need to explain how or why, but she just got passed over. And then I get her back when I’m writing my next book.” It’s a beautiful thing, especially because she has spent so much time with her. For her to go, “Yeah, you can have her for a bit, and I’m not stressed about it.” That was a real privilege.
Is there extra weight that comes with playing a character from a book that has such an established fan base?
I felt that. I felt like this is a beloved woman. I think I always feel that. I always feel the responsibility [when] you get given this woman to play, and you want to do her justice, and you want to make sure you’re telling her story as honestly [and] authentically as possible. That people understand her. And I always feel like when I put a job down and finish the job, that I want to feel like I’ve done this woman justice. So I definitely felt like that with Kay, but I always [do], even if she’s a famous character or not.
How would you describe the show to a complete newcomer?
I hope it has the thrill of a murder mystery. It’s also quite unique in the sense that it’s not a whodunnit. There’s lots of characters, but it’s more about the science and the clues. And I love the fact that you [see] getting a DNA sample in the ’90s compared to getting a DNA sample in 2026, and the difference between trying to solve a crime 20 years ago to what it is now, and how fast things are. So I think there’s something for all detective fanatics out there who just want to try and put all the clues together and work it out. And then it’s paired with a bit of real-life family drama. [The parallel stories] are very different. They’re like two different things. Modern day is like family drama with the backdrop of the cases, and then the past feels like clues, case, detective stuff with the backdrop of the family drama.
Jamie is so good. Part of me feels like she’s almost not playing a character with this zesty-for-life person.
(Laughs.) She is a zesty-for-life person! She is. I always just feel like Jamie’s having so much fun. And you’re like, “I want to have what she’s having.”
