Elle Grawl's "One of Those Faces"

Elle Grawl is a lawyer by day and writer by night. After obtaining her B.A. in English Literature, she took a detour into law before returning to her love of writing.

Her lifelong interest in true crime and experiences as an attorney have provided her with plenty of writing material. Grawl enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and their two dogs.

Here she dreamcasts an adaptation of her debut novel, One of Those Faces:

One of Those Faces is a psychological thriller that follows a young freelance artist in Chicago who discovers that a recent murder victim bears a striking resemblance to her.

While I was writing, I visualized the story playing out like a movie but I didn’t really think about which actors lined up with my mental images until after I finished the manuscript.

Harper: Harper is the troubled freelance artist at the heart of my novel.

Shortly after finishing my manuscript, I stumbled upon the movie Earthquake Bird. In this film, Alicia Vikander struck me as a great candidate to play Harper, the lead in my novel. Vikander really portrays a complex, insecure character that’s navigating interpersonal conflict while also dealing with her past traumas. I also think Nell Free from The Servant would be a great fit for the same reason. Both actresses portray their characters with this quiet intensity that comes across as very vulnerable due to their warped sense of identity and background. Visually, they also have similar features to Harper.

Iann: Iann is the attractive stranger that enters Harper’s life in the beginning of the novel. He’s a grad student and bartends part-time to make ends meet in downtown Chicago.

My first choice was Steven Yeun from Burning. I’ve been a fan of Yeun’s other roles, but in Burning he showed that he’s right at home in suspense/thrillers. However, I recently saw some clips from White Lotus Season 2 and Will Sharpe (who plays Ethan) would be a perfect Iann as well.

Erin: Erin is Harper’s best friend/rival. She’s beautiful, volatile, and superficially charming. Sydney Sweeney does a great job of playing gorgeous, alluring women who are at least mildly unhinged.

Detective Wilder: Michael Fassbender is not only insanely talented in any role, but he has the rugged, world-weary scowl that I always pictured on Wilder’s face.

Danny: Danny is a man from Harper’s past. He knows things about her that other characters aren’t privy to, yet he has the ability to put her at ease with his easygoing demeanor. Garrett Hedlund is my pick to play Danny in the movie, mostly because he has a boyishly handsome look and has previously played characters who have a knack for witty banter.

Visit Elle Grawl's website.

Coffee with a Canine: Elle Grawl & Olive and Truffle.

--Marhsal Zeringue