Although the series, which premiered Thursday on Netflix, is set on nearby Nantucket, most of the filming for “The Perfect Couple” took place on the Cape in places like Chatham, where Fahy also happened to discover another local treasure: Pizza Shark. “Did you know I have the merch?” Fahy boasted. (Fans may remember her viral Instagram post from February in which she wore a Pizza Shark sweater.)
“We lived very close by in Chatham, so we went there all the time,” she added. “I’m a pizza fan, so I try to find good pizza places wherever I go.”
Aside from being “just a blast” visiting family — and grabbing the occasional slice of pizza — Fahy had fun sinking her teeth into her delicious role in Netflix’s new crime series. Based on the 2018 book of the same name by Elin Hilderbrand, The Perfect Couple centers on a wealthy family on Nantucket, led by matriarch and famed novelist Greer Garrison Winbury, played by Nicole Kidman. Greer is no fan of Amelia (Eve Hewson), the bride-to-be of her son Benji (Billy Howle), and tensions rise on the island as their wedding day approaches. Things take a dark turn when a body washes up on the beach, setting off a crime story full of twists and turns that will keep viewers guessing.
In addition to Kidman, “The Perfect Couple” features a pretty star-studded cast of possible suspects and questionable characters, including — in the show’s words — “DILF” Tag Winbury, Greer’s muscular husband, played by “Spotlight” star and Hampshire College alum Liev Schreiber. Meanwhile, Dakota Fanning plays the groom’s uptight and demanding sister-in-law, Abby. “Wherever Nicole goes, everyone follows,” Hilderbrand told the Globe last month. “The cast is incredible.”
Fahy, who recently received an Emmy nomination for her role in the hit HBO series The White Lotus, plays maid of honor Merritt Monaco, the best friend of Hewson’s Amelia. Without giving too much away, Fahy’s character plays an unexpectedly central role in the series, but it’s the deep friendship with Amelia that really drew the Longmeadow native into the role.
“I just loved the friendship between Merritt and Amelia,” Fahy explained. “I have friends like that that feel more like family to me, and so I really loved that that was kind of the center of their story, at least when we first met them.”
A stylish social media influencer, Merritt, like the other characters, sports a wardrobe full of outfits that scream Nantucket fashion. Although that style isn’t really Fahy’s thing, she liked the attention to detail the costume department put into creating that beachy New England vibe.
“I grew up in New England and I always felt this very iconic style,” Fahy said. “There’s the famous ‘Nantucket salmon’ or whatever that red color is that’s so typical of that area. It’s cool when you can get really specific. It just helps make the world feel more alive and authentic.”
To prepare for the role, Fahy decided not to read Hilderbrand’s novel because there were some differences between the book and the series, so she “wanted to start fresh.” However, Fahy’s mother and friends, who are huge Hilderbrand fans, were very excited when they heard the news that she would be starring in “The Perfect Couple.”
“After coming on the show, I became much more aware of her fan base and the world of Elin Hilderbrand,” Fahy said. “It’s a pretty incredible fan base.”
Playing Merritt, Fahy got to play a lot with Hewson (and another character we won’t reveal here). The Bay State star praises the Irish actress as a “great” and “very easy” partner. The show’s big wedding also meant that Fahy was able to be on set with almost the entire cast for certain scenes, which was a treat.
“I’ve had a few moments where I’ve been able to be there while everyone else is on set, and those have always been my favorite days,” Fahy said. “It’s just fun to have everyone around.”
One of the most memorable scenes involving the entire cast takes place during the show’s dance-heavy opening credits, which are a la Apple TV+’s “Pachinko” and HBO’s “Peacemaker.” Everyone from Kidman to Schreiber dances in a choreographed number by Charm La’Donna to the song “Criminals” by none other than Nantucket native Meghan Trainor. As for who had the best moves on the dance floor, Fahy gave credit to Hewson, Howle and Schreiber.
“At first we thought, ‘What is this? Why are we doing this?'” Fahy said. “And by the end we were just laughing so much and having so much fun.”
While the dance sequence is one of the first things fans see when streaming The Perfect Pair, it wasn’t filmed until the last day on set.
“It was the last thing we shot of the whole series,” said Fahy. “It was a perfect ending.”
“The Perfect Pair” is now streaming on Netflix.
You can reach Matt Juul at [email protected].
