LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Chris Messina is all set to bring adventure, thriller, and horror to the screens this month. The actor is set to appear in Craig Rosenberg and Jason Bateman’s comedy thriller TV series, ‘Based on a True Story’ as well as Rob Savage’s much-awaited film ‘The Boogeyman’ based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name. During an interview with Variety at the Peacock series’ premiere at Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, Messina revealed his own experience of a true crime moment.
The actor said that the show hits close to home as he and his friend discovered an actual crime scene when they were kids. “I grew up in Northport, Long Island,” he began. “I grew up on Makamah Road, about a block from the Long Island Sound. A buddy and I walked to the Sound and – it was very ‘Stand By Me’ – we found a hand that washed up on the beach,” the actor said. “We had to report it,” Messina recalled. “I was pretending to be River Phoenix in ‘Stand By Me,’” he added.
What is ‘Stand By Me’ about?
‘Stand By Me’ is a 1986 Academy Award-nominated coming-of-age drama film, directed by Rob Reiner and based on King’s novella ‘The Body'. In addition to Phoenix as Chris Chambers, the influential film stars Will Wheaton, Jerry O’Connell, and Corey Feldman as a group of Oregon boys who are trying to find the dead body of a missing boy named Ray Brower in 1959.
The four boys face various challenging experiences as well as personal battles as set out on a hike near the fictional town of Castle Rock, Oregon. The group finally locates Brower’s body after more hiking but has an encounter with a rival gang who claims the body and threatens to hurt the boys. The two groups have an action-packed confrontation before the rival gang leaves with a promise to take revenge.
The four boys then realize that it would not be right to exploit Brower's death and instead of taking the credit for the discovery reports the incident via an anonymous phone call. The group then walks back to Castle Rock and part ways. The events of the films are portrayed as a flashback show through the eyes of Wheaton’s Gordie. The adult Gordie writes a memoir about their experience that ends with a quote that reads, “I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?”
What role does Chris Messina play in ‘Based on a True Story?’
Messina plays the lead role in ‘Based on a True Story'. His character, Nathan Bartlett, gets involved in a murder investigation because of his wife Ava Bartlett’s (Kaley Cuoco) obsession with true crime. The Bartletts, who are expecting their first child, begin a true crime podcast to make ends meet but soon find themselves entangled in actual criminal events they are profiting from. Alongside the couple, their plumber Matt Pierce (Tom Bateman) also gets involved in the crime investigation.
“A realtor, a former tennis star, and a plumber seize a unique opportunity to capitalize on America's obsession with true crime,” reads a description on IMDb. In addition to Messina, Bartlett, and Bateman, the series also stars Priscilla Quintana, Liana Liberato, Claire Holt, Aaron Staton, Aisha Alfa, Alex Alomar-Akpobome, Belmont Cameli, Brandon Keener, Ever Carradine, Jessica St. Clair, June Diane Raphael, Lizze Broadway, Miles Messenden, Sebastian Quinn and Yvonne Senate Jones. ‘Based on a True Story’ premieres on Peacock on June 8.
