This teaser trailer of Eric Bana – Australia’s very own handsome man we all still call Peter – starring as John Meehan in Bravo‘s TV adaptation of the wildly popular podcast Dear John is giving me the heebie jeebies and I hate it and I need to watch it now.
The minute monologue by Bana, who is presented half in shadow the entire time, even as the framing changes, is a deeply disconcerting portrait of a possessive man – and definitely a harbinger of what horrible shit is to come when we all watch the true crime series.
Especially skin-crawly is the final tagline: “He could happen to you.”
Here’s the full direct-to-camera monologue:
I have to tell you something. For a long time I tried to lie to myself about how lonely I really was. I think most people are: they just try to hide it like I did. When you fall in love you realise how lonely you’ve really been. I felt like I was blind before I saw you, like I’d never loved anyone before i knew you. And every time we’re together, every time I touch – no, every time I touch, no, every time we touch, every time I…, every time we touch, every time my arms… – every time I put my arms around you I feel like I’m finally home. I just wanna be wherever you are. Honestly, it scares me a little. Does it scare you?
I can barely even pinpoint what is making me so uncomfortable here, I think it’s his tone, and I totally believe him as the charming and more than vaguely threatening lead.
The crux of the series is the relationship between Meehan and Debra Newell, played by Connie Britton, who met internet dating, and is due to explore themes of abuse and manipulation and I’m already bracing myself for what fucked behaviour we’re set to encounter here.
Meehan was killed by Newell’s daughter, Terra, in 2016 in an act of self-defence.
Back in May, Bana explained to the network what drew him to the complicated role of Meehan:
I just thought the material was potentially very exciting and complicated. I think it’s a very challenging storyline for viewers. It brings up a lot of issues. And my co-star Connie Britton was already attached, so that made the decision a little bit easier. But I was fascinated by the podcast and thought it would make some interesting television.
Dirty John is expected to premiere later this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igsz681a_1E
