Fans of 7th Heaven star Jessica Biel will have to do a double-take if they see her on the streets of Decatur, Georgia, these days, where she is filming her latest series, a true-crime Hulu series called Candy.
The actress, 39, has completely transformed herself to play the role of Candy Montgomery, the suburban Texas housewife who went on trial for murdering her friend, Betty Gore, who was killed in 1980.
Montgomery struck her victim 41 times with an ax.
Candy Montgomery’s legal team argued self-defense and said she had a “dissociative reaction” in which she continued to attack the victim after she was already unconscious. She was acquitted of the murder in October 1980.
Jessica took over the role of Candy Montgomery last October after the original star, Mad Men actress Elisabeth Moss, had to bow out due to scheduling conflicts. Jessica is also an executive producer for the series.
Jessica Biel is dressing the part
Jessica was spotted on Tuesday sporting the full 1980s look and wore a blue dress, sensible black pumps, stockings, and a black coat. She topped off the outfit with the feathered hairstyle that was so popular back then and large glasses.
Who was Candy Montgomery?
Candy Montgomery was a churchgoer and stay-at-home mom of two children in the small town of Wylie, Texas. She was married to Pat Montgomery, an electrical engineer for Texas Instruments.
Candy met Betty Gore when they both attended the Methodist Church of Lucas in 1978. That same year, Candy embarked on an affair with Betty’s husband, Allan Gore, after an encounter at a church volleyball game.
They carried on the affair for several months before ending it after Betty gave birth to the couple’s second child and she and Allan underwent marital counseling in 1979.
On Friday, June 13, 1980, Candy went to Betty’s home while Allan was away on a business trip. She later claimed that Betty confronted her about having an affair with her husband.
According to Candy, Betty attacked her with the ax first, but they struggled over the weapon. In the end, over the course of the fight, Candy struck Betty a total of 41 times.
Betty’s daughter was asleep in her crib at the time of the murder, according to reports, and Betty was later found dead in her utility room.
Candy became a suspect after admitting that she was the last person to see Betty alive. She later became the main suspect once details of her affair with Allan Gore were revealed.
She was found not guilty after a trial in which she pleaded self-defense. the Montgomerys moved to Georgia and eventually divorced. Candy now goes by her maiden name, Candace Wheeler, and is a mental health therapist, according to the Daily Mail.
No official release date has been announced, but you can watch Candy when it premieres later this year on Hulu.