Surpassing the massive success of Fool Me Once is no easy task, but Netflix’s latest Harlan Coben thriller, Missing You, just might achieve it thanks to its wild casting.
Directed by Slow Horses actress Rosalind Eleazar, 36, the six-part film, released yesterday, follows her mind-bending investigation sparked after her ex-fiancé, who ghosted her, resurfaces on a dating app.
Rosalind is joined by some great actors, including Ashley Walters, who plays her ex-fiancé Josh, Steve Pemberton, frequent Harlan Coben collaborator Richard Armitage, Sir Lenny Henry and James Nesbitt.
While there are more star actors than you can imagine, Missing You has also borrowed celebrities from other worlds, including ITV reality show I’m A Celebrity.
Metro revealed last month, after seeing an advanced preview of Missing You, which her 2024 campmate GK Barry – real name Grace Keeling – is playing in an unannounced role as Vanessa. But she’s not the only former jungle denizen to make an appearance in the thriller.
Former King of the Jungle and Busted singer Matt Willis also stars as Darryl in the highly anticipated thriller, which has left fans completely perplexed.
Seen in the first episode on a date with Rosalind’s character, Detective Kat Donovan, the 2000s star sparked a wave of reactions from fans online, many of whom were shocked to see him in the series.
@OpheliaMCFLY_GD wrote: “I started watching Missing You on Netflix and Matt Willis appears in a cameo. I didn’t even know, what a nice surprise.
While @pagerannigan struggled to believe what they were seeing: “Am I having a fever dream? I’m watching the new Harlen Coben series and I swear I just saw GK Barry and Matt Willis in it.
@gracieXmcfc also weighed in, sharing on
Although the Busted star’s appearance was short, he left an impression on fans as his character appeared to make a subtle nod to the pop group’s 2003 track Air Hostess, telling Rosalind’s character afterwards upon discovering she was a detective: “I thought you said you were a flight attendant.
This prompted one fan, @GeorginaCorney, to write about you were a flight attendant”. …some jokes are useless to people.
This isn’t the first time a Harlan adaptation has had a surprising connection to another TV show.
In Fool Me Once, eagle-eyed fans noticed that Judith’s (Dame Joanna Lumley) opulent home was also Tommy Shelby’s in Peaky Blinders.
“Loving Fool Me Once on Netflix but aren’t they using Tommy Shelby’s house?” Charlie Murphy posted to X after logging in.
Shortly after, Netflix confirmed the theory.
Luckily, if you’ve spent all of New Year’s Day binging on Netflix, relaxing in bed, and have already finished Missing You, there are plenty of other ways to get your next Harlan fix.
The writer previously signed a deal with the streamer, meaning 14 of his novels will be developed into original series. Missing You is the ninth to receive the adaptation treatment.
If you’re a Harlan newbie, we suggest making The Stranger your second watch.
This time, fan favorite Richard plays Adam who, you guessed it, a stranger reveals a secret to, and soon his wife disappears. It’s an addictive tension as lives begin to unravel and unexpected connections emerge.
Or try Safe, which follows widowed father-of-two Tom (Michael C Hall) whose life is turned upside down when his teenage daughter goes missing – and he discovers a lot of things he didn’t know.
In addition to these Harlan titles, there is also Gone for Good, The Innocent, Hold Tight and The Woods.
But if you want something different, critics have particularly singled out Netflix’s hidden gem, Bad Day For the Cut, which has a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score.
The film follows a mild-mannered farmer named Donal who finds his elderly mother murdered in what appears to be a home invasion.
When masked thugs then attempt to kill him in a botched staged suicide, he escapes with his life and sets out on a quest to avenge her.
Missing You is now available to stream on Netflix.
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