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Dennis Quaid appeared on “Happy Face,” with Keith Jessperson having committed five years of murder, killing at least eight women, defeating the police with an intrusive letter, all signing with a happy face.
Mona Kosar Abdi from “Extra” spoke with Dennis about telling the wild the unsettling truth story behind one of America’s infamous serial killers.
The daughter of the Real Happy Face Killer, Melissamoua, has produced a new series based on her 2009 autobiography, “Silence,” and is based on the true crime podcast, “Happy Face Presents: Two Faces.” She is portrayed in Annaly Ashford’s show.
Dennis explained why he didn’t meet Jess Person, saying, “I would have just got a lot of sh*t.” He added, “Melissa wrote a book. That’s her father. She knows him better than she thinks he knows herself.”
Quaid found it easy to play Jesperson, saying, “The serial killer has no emotions. There was nothing emotionally needed to reach.
To prepare for the role, Dennis watched a videotape of Jess Person and said, “There’s this distance. It’s another person who did it, wants things with her daughter and doesn’t understand it from that perspective.”
Dennis said, “What makes our story unique is that from other true crimes I’ve ever seen, she had a loving relationship, a sweet relationship with her father. From the perspective of a little girl, you idolized her father and was caught at the age of 15.
From talking to Melissa, Dennis understood the work in front of her. “With attention to the victims, we shed light on what they went through, what they held back, what you know, people like him, the devastation they bring.”
Dennis said, “When a murder is committed like this, it’s not just the victims. It’s also the victim’s family, their friends, the murderer’s family. It’s very shipwreck.”
“Extra” also told Melissa, who shared feelings that the project had grown up almost 30 years after her father’s arrest.
She said, “This was a time of reflection. I’m still working on talking to my kids and certainly not comfortable. I think now my mother understands why they didn’t want to have a tough conversation because they were absolutely uncomfortable.”
Melissa also said that Dennis captured her father’s narcissism accurately.
“I felt Dennis Quad did an amazing job portraying the operation,” she said. “My dad, he’s 6’6,” you know, 300 pounds. But for me, and the way my father threatened me, was through manipulation. He knew my vulnerability…and just started to trust, he betrays my trust. ”
“Happy Face” is streaming on Paramount + March 20th.
