Who is Lacey in Dear Edward? We explore the character and the person who is cast to play her after the release of the series.
The Apple TV Plus series Dear Edward is an adaptation of the best-selling novel by Ann Napolitano and follows the tragic story of a plane crash that ended the lives of all passengers except for a 12-year-old boy named Edward Adler (Colin O’Brien). The story focuses on Edward dealing with the loss of his family, including his older brother, whom he was very close to.
It also follows relatives of other plane-crash victims, including Dee Dee (Connie Britton), who lost her husband and father of her daughter, who may have been keeping a few secrets from his family, or Adriana (Anna Uzele), who lost her grandmother, a leading force in politics as one of the first women of color to be elected to Congress.
Perhaps one of the most important characters in the entire series is Lacey, but with such a large ensemble, one might be slightly lost and wondering, who is Lacey and what is her relevance to Dear Edward exactly?
Who is Lacey in Dear Edward?
After the plane crash, Edward is forced to move in with her aunt, Lacey, who has a complicated life of her own. We first meet her in Episode 1 and learned that she’s been going through some complications when trying to get pregnant — in particular, she’s had three miscarriages. Her partner is trying to be understanding, but she’s having a hard time opening up and is instead dealing with the pain, physical and emotional, internally. She’s isolated herself from the world, yet she insists on not adopting.
On top of that, she just learned about the passing of her sister, with whom she held a somewhat estranged relationship. Nevertheless, she’s devastated by the loss and traumatized by not being able to salvage the relationship while the two had time. It is at that point that she simply surrenders and gives herself to making sure her nephew, Edward, pulls himself out of the trauma of losing his entire family.
It is almost as complicated for her as it is for him. On top of dealing with the pain of three miscarriages, she loses her sister overnight and finds herself as the new mother of a 12-year-old boy who isn’t speaking or eating. She must push through so that the boy can thrive. In one of the second episode’s most emotional moments, Lacey admits that she simply doesn’t know how to do this, and the entire support group gives her a hug, essentially telling her that she can do this. She is strong enough.
Who plays Lacey in the series Dear Edward?
Lacey is played by Taylor Schilling. Audiences might recognize her as Piper from Orange is the New Black, though she also had a small role in last year’s Pam & Tommy.
She was nominated for an Emmy in 2014 for her work in Orange is the New Black, and as part of the ensemble of that series, she won three SAG Awards in 2015-2017 and was nominated for a fourth one in 2018.
Why is Lacey important?
Lacey is a pivotal character because, as we realize in the second episode, her arc and how she deals with her loss will be vital for Edward’s survival. She embodies the importance of growing up in a safe and loving house, where the most important thing is the child’s wellbeing. That’s parenthood in a nutshell, and she must learn that, despite her doubts after multiple miscarriages, she can actually be a mother to her child.
What did you think of the first few episodes of Dear Edward? Are you fascinated by the character of Lacey as much as we are? Let us know in the comments!
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