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Hulu’s The Girl From Plainville tells the story of Michelle Carter and Conrad Roy III. Roy died by suicide in 2014, and text evidence showed Carter encouraged him to remain in a running truck to die of carbon monoxide poisoning. Now, Elle Fanning, who joined The Girl From Plainville cast as Michelle Carter, is talking about the show. And she reflected on whether she thinks Carter will watch.

Elle Fanning joined ‘The Girl From Plainville’ cast as Michelle Carter

Elle Fanning as Michelle Carter texting while walking outside in 'The Girl From Plainville'
Elle Fanning as Michelle Carter | Steve Dietl/Hulu

Who is The Girl From Plainville based on? While the Hulu miniseries shares the story of Michelle Carter and Conrad Roy III, the title references Carter. Carter hails from Plainville, Massachusetts, about 35 miles from where Roy’s hometown. They met each other while on separate family vacations in Florida. They met up only a few times in person while maintaining communication via text.

Elle Fanning plays high-school-aged Michelle Carter in The Girl From Plainville cast. She spoke to Collider about taking on the role and the care she took with playing the woman who was villainized by the media.

“We really wanted to not sensationalize the story in any way and show more to all of these characters, to both families, to just not do what the media did, which was kind of blanket it in one way and not show the facts or the details behind it all,” Fanning explained.

Elle Fanning talked about Michelle Carter possibly watching the miniseries

Elle Fanning as Michelle Carter and and Colton Ryan as Conrad Roy holding hands face to face in 'The Girl From Plainville'
Colton Ryan as Conrad Roy and Elle Fanning as Michelle Carter | Steve Dietl/Hulu

Elle Fanning joined The Girl From Plainville cast with the intention of sharing a more well-rounded example of who Michelle Carter really is or could’ve been. But she doesn’t know if Carter will watch the miniseries.

“Of course you think about her watching it, because how can you not?” Fanning told Vanity Fair. “I can understand that, not wanting to relive it. … I hope that it at least does something that the media didn’t do for her.”

“I’m not taking a side on what happened, but I feel a great deal of empathy for the fact that this young woman was thrust into the spotlight in this way,” co-creator Patrick Macmanus added. “I hope that we did no harm and that she recognizes that we really were not trying to sensationalize her journey in life.”

Michelle Carter will be 25 years old in 2022. While she may never make any public statements about the series, her probation ends in August 2022. She may be more apt to say something after it ends.

What did Michelle Carter get charged with?

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So, what did Michelle Carter get charged with, and how much time did she spend in jail? According to Esquire, she was indicted for involuntary manslaughter in February 2015. The case moved forward in June 2017 after a number of appeals. She was ultimately convicted of involuntary manslaughter and given a prison sentence of two and a half years. The sentence was later reduced to 15 months.

Carter only served 12 out of the 15 months due to good behavior. “Ms. Carter has been a model inmate in Bristol County,” Jonathan Darling, a spokesperson for the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office, said at the time. “She has attended programs, had a job inside the jail, has been polite to our staff and volunteers, has gotten along with other inmates, and we’ve had no discipline issues with her whatsoever.”

As stated before, Carter’s probation ends on Aug. 1, 2022.

How to get help: In the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741-741 to speak with a trained crisis counselor at the free Crisis Text Line.

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