The Devil You Know

An ambitious actress living in the shadow of her legendary mother, Zoe uses charm and manipulation to grab attention. She pursues a dangerous affair with Kathryn's husband and wages schemes to provoke jealousy, even planning to fake her own murder to deepen Jake's doubt. Her calculated moves reveal a woman desperate for validation, willing to cross lines to achieve fame.

A legendary A-list actress who commands the spotlight and controls the narrative around her life. She navigates power dynamics with cool composure, using others to secure her comeback while remaining wary of threats to her position. Her guarded trust and strategic mind propel the plot toward a dramatic, public re-emergence in film.

Kathryn Vale's new husband and Zoe's secret lover, Jake is suave and opportunistic, balancing relationships to protect his own interests. He becomes the focal point of suspicion as the instability of the triangle intensifies, and his vulnerability grows as Zoe and Edie manipulate events. His ultimate fate highlights the perilous stakes of deception in their world.

Kathryn's loyal assistant who becomes entangled in Zoe's machinations. Ambitious yet morally compromising, Edie aids in the plot to destabilize Kathryn's marriage by fostering Naomi-like doubt in Jake's innocence. Her involvement demonstrates how far people will go when loyalty is tested and secrets threaten to surface.

Kathryn Vale's former husband, whose death casts a long shadow over the story. His supposed murder becomes a driver for threats and investigations, with flashbacks revealing the history that underpins current tensions. His role anchors the mystery and fuels the characters' suspicions and motives.

A younger version of Zoe who embodies the early spark of ambition that later fuels her adult schemes. Through flashbacks, her desire to outshine her mother is shown as a seed of the lifelong pattern of manipulation and competition. She acts as a counterpoint to the present-day Zoe, revealing how the past shapes the present conflict.