Ryan Murphy’s latest series The Shards has arrived, bringing Bret Easton Ellis’s semi-autobiographical novel to the screen with a cast of rising stars and familiar faces. The FX drama, which premiered on August 5, transports viewers back to 1981 Los Angeles, where a group of privileged prep school seniors find their world turned upside down by a mysterious new student and a serial killer stalking the city.
The series marks a major moment for its young cast, including Igby Rigney, Kaia Gerber, and Homer Gere, who have opened up about what it was like bringing the 1980s to life. For Homer Gere, the son of Richard Gere, the project carries an extra layer of meaning given its connection to the 1980 film American Gigolo, which starred his father.
The Cast Bringing Bret Easton Ellis’s Story to Life
At the heart of The Shards is Igby Rigney, who plays a fictionalized version of the author himself. Rigney, known for his work in Mike Flanagan’s horror series including Midnight Mass, The Midnight Club, and The Fall of the House of Usher, takes on the role of Bret Easton Ellis, an aspiring writer navigating his final year at the elite Buckley prep school.
The character of Bret is a keenly observant teenager whose carefully constructed world begins to crumble with the arrival of a magnetic new student, Robert Mallory.Rigney’s Bret serves as the narrator of the series, guiding audiences through the dark undercurrents beneath the surface of American adolescence.
Playing Robert Mallory is Homer Gere, marking his first major series role.The character’s arrival at Buckley coincides with the growing terror of a serial killer known as The Trawler, who is targeting teenagers across Los Angeles.Gere, who previously appeared in HBO’s Euphoria, steps into a role that carries particular weight given his family’s connection to the 1980s film that inspired much of the show’s aesthetic.
The ensemble also includes Kaia Gerber as Susan Reynolds, a popular student and Bret’s close friend who hides her insecurities behind a homecoming queen exterior.Hayes Warner plays Debbie Schaffer, Bret’s girlfriend, while Graham Campbell takes on the role of Thom Wright.Rounding out the cast are Wes Bentley as Terry Schaffer, Evan Rachel Wood as Liz Schaffer, and Jordan Roth as Steven Reinhardt.
Stepping Back Into 1981 Los Angeles
One of the biggest challenges for the cast was authentically portraying an era none of them had lived through. During a recent interview with ABC News, the actors discussed what it was like bringing the 1980s to life.
Homer Gere noted that the costumes and hairstyles immediately made it feel like they had traveled back in time.Kaia Gerber added that working on the series gave her the sensation of having experienced the 1980s herself, and she particularly appreciated how people spent less time on their phones during that period.
The production team went to great lengths to recreate the era accurately. Production designer Cat Smith, who grew up in the Valley during the 1980s and attended the private Marlborough School, drew upon her own memories to bring the show to life.The creative team used visual references like American Gigolo to recreate Westwood Village, the Sherman Oaks Galleria, and other former teen hangouts for the MTV generation.
The result is a world of perfectly coiffed hair, stark white interiors with pops of color, and a sense of glamour that defines Murphy’s signature style.Beneath the silk shirts and sleek Mercedes lies a story of innocence lost, tapping into nostalgia for a pre-internet city on the verge of reinvention.
The American Gigolo Connection
The series draws significant inspiration from Paul Schrader’s 1980 neo-noir thriller American Gigolo, which adds a fascinating layer to Homer Gere’s involvement.His father, Richard Gere, starred in the iconic film alongside Lauren Hutton.
When asked whether his father had helped him prepare for the role, Homer Gere shared that Richard’s advice was mostly about carrying himself on set and learning how to make the job work for him.The younger Gere also revealed that the first person he told about landing the role wasn’t his famous father.
The American Gigolo influence extends beyond the casting connection. Production and costume designers used the film as a primary visual reference, and the series captures the same mood defined by the music and fashion of the time.
Behind the Scenes: Balancing Teen Drama and Horror
The cast also shared what it was like filming a series that balances the typical ups and downs of high school with a much darker mystery. Graham Campbell noted that it felt like the characters were dealing with usual teenage issues while a sinister plot unfolded around them.
Homer Gere added that it almost felt like they were shooting two different shows at once. One side focused on teenage friendships and parties, while the other leaned into dark, horror-like moments. He described it as “real Ryan Murphy American Horror Story.”
The tension between Rigney’s character and Gere’s character was a particular highlight for the actors. Rigney said those scenes were some of his favorites to film because it felt like they were going back and forth with each other.Gere added that they both enjoyed trying to make each other as “uncomfortable as possible,” which made those moments even more fun to shoot.
Where and When to Watch The Shards
The Shards premiered on August 5 with two episodes on FX and Hulu.For international viewers, the series became available on Disney+ on August 6.
The series consists of nine episodes, though some sources have reported ten.Instead of releasing all episodes at once, the show follows a weekly release schedule, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday.The finale is scheduled for September 9.
The story follows a group of friends from elite backgrounds navigating love, secrets, and the threat of a serial killer known as The Trawler, who is targeting teenagers across the city.
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A Long Road to the Screen
The Shards has had a winding journey to television. Ellis originally released the novel as a serialized audiobook on his podcast before a print version followed in 2023.The project was initially set up at HBO with Luca Guadagnino attached to direct, but that version fell apart over creative differences.
After Kristoffer Borgli briefly replaced Guadagnino before also exiting, FX picked up the series with Ryan Murphy attached as executive producer.Murphy, known for American Horror Story, Pose, and Glee, wrote four episodes and directed the first two.
Ellis took a “hands-off approach” to the adaptation, with executive producer Brad Simpson describing his involvement as “godfather-y.”The author was notably absent from the recent premiere, and star Kaia Gerber said she never saw Ellis on set.
The series also features original music by Troye Sivan, Leland, and cast member Hayes Warner.With its blend of 1980s nostalgia, teen drama, and serial killer thriller elements, The Shards marks a significant addition to Ryan Murphy’s already impressive television catalog.
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