The frenzy of true crime dramas continues to be devoured by the masses at a rapid pace. Consuming terrifying real-life events has proved irresistible to television audiences, and every major streaming service has been on the hunt for new monsters to expose. In 2022 alone, there have been countless true-crime series. Netflix has premiered the controversial series Dahmer-Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer StoryHulu has released the critically acclaimed limited series Under the banner of heavenand now Peacock has talked to Friend of the family.
While some critics of the true-crime genre have expressed concerns about glorifying killers and predators, multiple series have also chosen to give survivors a voice. Friend of the family tries to do that by telling the harrowing story of a survivor. Based on the shocking kidnappings of 12-year-old Idaho-born Jan Broberg, she was abducted twice by neighbor and family friend Robert “B” Berchtold in 1974 and again at age 14 in 1976. The original series Peacock is just the latest exploration into the infamous kidnappings that took place within the Mormon community, following Netflix’s 2017 true-crime documentary Kidnapped in plain sight, who is also investigating the case.
To share the victim’s point of view, the real-life Jan Broberg serves as producer and even introduces the series in a short clip prior to the first episode. Set in the highly religious Mormon town of Pocatello, Idaho, the series focuses on how Robert Berchtold was able to manipulate and seduce both of Jan’s parents, Bob and Mary Ann Broberg, while also caring for Jan. With a total of nine episodes, The Peacock original limited series tells the story of the first fateful meeting between the Berchtold and Broberg families, both kidnappings in 1974 and 1976, and the controversial trials that followed.
Nick Antosca serves as the series creator for Friend of the family alongside writer and executive producer. Antosca is no stranger to turning real-life nightmares into compelling true-crime series, having previously created the original Hulu series The deed (2019) and Sweets (2022). The first four episodes premiered on Peacock Thursday, October 6, and the final five episodes will be released weekly on Thursdays until the finale on November 10. To watch, the streamer offers a variety of plans, including a $4.99 per month premium plan, and a $9.99/month premium plus plan. To learn more about the infamous kidnapping case and everyone involved, read on to learn more about the cast and the real-life characters they play.
Hendrix Yancey stars as 12-year-old Jan Broberg and plays her for 6 episodes as the series shows her being groomed through flashbacks and manipulated during the first kidnapping. Initially, Berchtold stated that she had not been kidnapped, but Berchtold convinced Jan that she should join him in saving a dying alien planet, and if she told anyone about it or failed to complete the mission, her family’s life would be in danger. to be. Yancey can also be seen in the Netflix series unbelievable and season 4 of Weird stuffin addition to appearing in the 2021 film, Charming the hearts of men.
McKenna Grace plays the elder Jan Broberg at age 14 when she is kidnapped again by Robert Berchtold. Grace is a well-known child actress and has appeared in numerous film and television series. Her most notable films include: Gifted (2017) and Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), and the Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House (2018). Jan eventually told the detectives everything that happened to her after surviving the second kidnapping, and has become an advocate for survivors of sexual assault in the years since. Broberg constantly faced challenges over her story from Berchtold herself, and she also produced the Netflix documentary Kidnapped in plain sight in addition to A friend of the family.
Jake Lacy as Robert “B” Berchtold
Jake Lacy takes on the role of real-life Robert “B” Berchtold, husband of Gail Berchtold and father of four children. When they moved to Pocatello in 1972, both the Berchtold and Broberg families attend the same LDS church, and Bob immediately searches for Jan to nurse her while she manipulates her parents. Diagnosed with manic depression, all warning signs are ignored by both his wife and the Brobergs leading up to the first kidnapping. Robert Berchtold was again welcomed with open arms at the church and was sentenced to less than 6 months in a mental institution after the second kidnapping. He was subsequently charged with the rape of a child in 1986 and served a year in prison. He vehemently denied all of Jan’s allegations of her kidnapping and sexual assault since the 1970s, but was found guilty again in 2005 of simple assault after falling out with a BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse) member and committing suicide before going to went to jail.
Lacy is best known for his breakthrough role in the 2020 HBO limited series, The white lotus, playing the privileged vacationer Shane Patton. Lacy received an Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series Emmy Award nomination for his role, and A friend of the family marks his first leading role in a television series. Primarily working in television, additional roles include: Mrs. America (2020), Fosse/Verdon (2019), Very trustworthy (2020), and as Pete Miller in the final season of The Office (2005-2013).
Colin Hanks stars as Jan’s father, Bob Broberg, a first spectator at the kidnapping of his daughter. Because of their religious beliefs, his wife Mary Ann refers to Bob in all matters related to the family, and they are persuaded by Gail Broberg not to call the police immediately after Jan and Robert disappear. When Jan is eventually sent back, the Berchtolds blackmail Bob and Marry Ann in various ways to avoid criminal charges and remain an active part of their lives.
Hanks is the son of Academy Award winner Tom Hanks and followed in his father’s footsteps in pursuing a career in acting. Hanks’ breakthrough role was no stranger to taking on a wide assortment of strange characters, but Hanks’s role came with playing serial killer Travis Marshall in Season 5 of the Showtime series. Right (2006-2013). He continued on in season 1 of FX’s fargo (2014), FXs American Horror Story: Accusation (2021), and the original series Paramount Plus, The offer (2022).
Anna Paquino co-stars as Mary Ann Broberg, mother of Jan Broberg and her two younger sisters, Karen and Susan. She is the primary caretaker of the family and is immediately charmed by Robert Berchtold and the series shows how he successfully seduces her as he makes his way into Jan’s life. Constantly pursued by Bob, even after the initial kidnapping, Mary Ann would go on to write the book Stolen Innocence: The Story of Jan Broberg (2003), in which she describes the roller coaster ride she and her family experienced.
Paquin is an Academy Award winning actress who won Best Supporting Actress in 1993 for her role in The piano at age 11, making her the second-youngest recipient in the history of the Awards. Her other notable film roles include: Almost Famous (2000), Margaretha (2011), the Irishman (2019), and starring as Rogue in the X-Men movie franchise. Paquin is best known for playing the lead role of Sookie Stackhouse in HBO’s vampire fantasy series real blood (2008-2014), and she also starred in Netflix’s Alias Grace (2017), and Flack (2019).
Lio Tipton as Gail Berchtold
Depicted as an arguable bystander in Jan Broberg’s kidnapping, Lio Tipton plays Robert Berchtold’s wife Gail Berchtold Friend of the family. Mother of three boys and a girl, the series reveals the gaslighting techniques Gail uses when Bob and Mary Ann initially contact her an hour after Bob was supposed to drop Jan off horseback riding. Sensing something is wrong, Gail convinces the parents not to call the police and continues to help her husband with blackmail during the initial kidnapping trial and the following years.
Tipton first came to prominence in Cycle 11 of America’s next top model (2003–present) where they finished third in the overall standings. They then got their breakthrough starring as high school student Jessica Ripley in the romantic comedy Crazy, stupid, love (2011) opposite Steve Carelland then starred in the movie Stand for two nights (2014) and the short-lived ABC sitcom Manhattan love story (2014).
Austin Stowell as FBI Agent Peter Walsh
Austin Stowell plays FBI Agent Peter Walsh, the lead detective who steps into the case and springs into action after receiving alarming information that the Brobergs waited several days to report their child missing. Making his acting debut in the ABC series The Secret Life of the American TeenStowell has played several supporting roles in the film, most notably as Kyle Connellan in Dolphin Story (2011) and Francis Gary Powers in Steven Spielberghas been widely acclaimed Bridge of Spies (2015).