Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear Actor’s Return In Apple TV Remake Explained By Showrunner

Published Jun 15, 2026, 11:18 AM EDT

Nick Antosca, who previously worked on Hannibal, The Act, Chucky and Murdaugh: Death in the Family, created the new Cape Fear series, which is based on John D. MacDonald's 1957 novel The Executioners. The book has been adapted into a movie two times, first in 1962 and then again in 1991, directed by Martin Scorsese.

Juliette Lewis, who starred in the most recent film adaptation in the Oscar-nominated role of Danielle Bowden, made a cameo on the Apple TV show, and now, in an interview with ScreenRant's Tatiana Hullender, Antosca is revealing why he brought her back to the world of Cape Fear. The creator explained that he worked with Lewis when she guest-starred on Hulu's The Act, which he co-created.

It was around that same time that Antosca first started thinking about re-adapting Cape Fear. He already knew how great an actor Lewis was and wanted her to join the series in some capacity because he really "wanted to work with her again."

However, bringing Cape Fear to life on the small screen wasn't smooth sailing. "It took years for the rights and stuff...to come together," he admitted. But once everything came together, "I was really excited when she wanted to come hang out with us."

"I love Juliette Lewis. When I first started thinking about doing this show, re-imagining Cape Fear, I was working with Juliette on an episode of The Act where she guest-starred.

"Separate from any Cape Fear thoughts, I was just like, 'Man, she is so good.' It took years for the rights and stuff for Cape Fear to come together, but I always knew and had been thinking even then that I wanted Juliette to be involved and wanted to work with her again. So, I was really excited when she wanted to come hang out with us."

Cape Fear boasts an all-star team that includes Scorsese and Steven Spielberg as executive producers. The series stars Javier Bardem as a former prisoner named Maxy Cady, who leaves prison with vengeance at the forefront of his mind. He plans to make attorneys Anna and Tom Bowden (Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson) pay for their actions after they served as his lawyers during the trial that led to his imprisonment.

Joe Anders, Lily Collias, CCH Pounder, and Malia Pyles also star in the thriller, which debuted in early June and currently has a 76% Rotten Tomatoes score, with critics giving Cape Fear mostly positive reviews. This compares to 88% and 77% for the 1962 and 1991 films, respectively.

After starring in 1991's Cape Fear, Lewis went on to star in such movies as What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Whip It!, August: Osage County, Ma, and Breaking News in Yuba County, and the TV shows Wayward Pines, Secrets and Lies, Welcome to Chippendales, Camping, and Yellowjackets. She earned an Emmy nomination for her role in Welcome to Chippendales and a SAG Award nod for August: Osage County.

Now Lewis is back on Cape Fear for the Apple TV adaptation, which releases a new episode on Fridays, with the finale set for July 31. Instead of playing Danielle, though, the actor is playing a character who stalks Max in the first two episodes.

Cape Fear streams every Friday on Apple TV.

Release Date June 4, 2026

Network Apple TV

Showrunner Nick Antosca