Many actresses would have had to think about their motivation to perform the lead role in "Dark Places". Charlize Theron's motivation was less remote. One night at age 15, in her Johannesburg, South Africa home where she lived with her parents, her drunken, alcoholic father attacked the mother and fired a gun at both of them. Charlize fled the house after which the mother, armed with her own gun, shot back and killed her husband in what was later judged to be self-defense.
Amy Adams was originally cast in the lead role during development, but when the project was green-lit, Adams was unavailable, and Charlize Theron was cast instead. Adams later took the lead role in Sharp Objects (2018), a project based on another of Flynn's novels.
Christina Hendricks was originally cast as Krissi Cates, while Samantha Morton was cast as Patty Day. When Morton dropped out just prior to filming, Hendricks took on the role of Patty, and Drea de Matteo assumed the role of Krissi.
Ben Day is seven years older than his sister Libby. In real life, Charlize Theron (who portrayed Libby) is a year older than Corey Stoll (Ben).
This is Nicholas Hoult's and Charlize Theron's second movie together. They also worked on Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).
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