Dennis Quaid Gleefully Defies the Law in 'Happy Face' Sneak Peek [Exclusive] (2025)

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Who Else Is In ‘Happy Face’? Your Rating Cast

Happy Face

By Britta DeVore

Published Apr 16, 2025

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Is there no food safe from Dennis Quaid’s villainous personas? You’ve seen him absolutely mangle and gulp down a plate of shrimp in The Substance, and today, Collider has an exclusive first look at the upcoming episode of Happy Face, during which a sandwich becomes the object of his character’s desire. Quaid’s latest role might just be his darkest yet, as he appears in the Paramount+ series as real-life serial killer, Keith Jesperson. The show centers around the murderer’s ploy to weasel his way back into the life of his daughter, Melissa (Annaleigh Ashford), after years and years of no contact.

A showdown is brewing in our exclusive first look at this week’s episode of Happy Face between Quaid’s Keith Jespersen and Michael O’Neill’s district attorney, Craig Calloway. Dressed in his bright orange prison garb, Jesperson sits down across from Calloway and has a bone to pick with him after the DA did his job and put the serial killer on blast, calling him a liar in front of the world. Bribing the killer with a sandwich and a soda, Calloway appeals to Jesperson’s better side, but soon, the murderer’s true colors shine through. Digging into his sandwich, Jesperson laughs as he tells the lawman how quickly he could kill him with the root beer bottle added to the side of his lunch. Hoping to use this one-on-one time with the killer to get to the bottom of a crime, Calloway is quickly pushed a few steps back when it becomes abundantly clear that Jesperson is here for the free lunch and the free lunch alone.

Quaid’s performance in today’s first look perfectly encapsulates the cocky and above-the-law attitude that Jesperson carried throughout his time on trial. And to meet that kind of mindset, the project needed an equally talented actress to play the murderer’s estranged daughter, Melissa. Thankfully, Ashford fully fits the bill. Over the last few episodes, audiences have watched as the Emmy and Tony nominee has held her own, showcasing the strength of her real-life character.

Who Else Is In ‘Happy Face’?

While the story primarily focuses on the solo and mixed lives of the characters played by Ashford and Quaid, Happy Face’s ensemble certainly helps mold the story and hold everything together. Joining the call sheet is a lineup that includes James Wolk (Mad Men), Tamera Tomakili (Fruitvale Station), Jennifer Spence (Stargate Universe), Patrick Gilmore (School Spirits), and David Harewood (Supergirl).