Andrew Garfield was nominated for an Emmy for his performance in “Under the Banner of Heaven.” Variety reported that Garfield was nominated for best actor in a limited series. He plays detective Jeb Pyre, a Latter-day Saint detective who investigates the murders of Brenda and Erica Lafferty. His character has a faith crisis during his investigation.
Was Jeb Pyre a real detective on the case?
No, he was not.
The credits for “Under the Banner of Heaven” read, “This program is inspired by actual true crime events. Some characters in the program are fictional and some scenes and dialogues are invented for creative and storyline purposes.”
Pyre is an invented character who does not exist in real life as one of the detectives who investigated the murders.
The detective who investigated the double homicide was primarily Terry Fox, who was the American Fork police chief.
Why did Dustin Lance Black make up Pyre?
Show writer Dustin Lance Black stated why he created Pyre. “That started as a notion when I was having conversations with an actual investigator who worked on the case, who was very helpful but asked to not be depicted as himself; he didn’t want to have to live through that again, and I understood that.”
This led Black to create detective Bill Taba as well, because he wanted the audience to be an investigator while watching the series. He said, “Well, I’d love to put the viewer there so let’s create an investigator, and in fact let’s create two investigators so that we have one who comes from within, and one who comes from the outside”
What did Garfield say influenced him in that role?
According to Newsweek, Garfield said that conversations with a different detective influenced his portrayal of Pyre.
In an interview with Variety, Garfield also stated, “I traveled to Utah for a little research trip with some friends of Dustin Lance’s and met countless ex-Mormons, current Mormons, future ex-Mormons, cop Mormons, I just asked lots and lots of questions and tried to immerse myself in that culture as much as possible and made sure that there wasn’t a hair out of place in that way.”
FAQs
Detectives Jeb Pyre and Bill Taba are characters that were created purely for the show, Newsweek reports. Actor Andrew Garfield, who plays Pyre, told Newsweek that while the characters aren't based on any real persons involved in the case, he did speak to a Mormon detective to prepare for the role.
Is Andrew Garfield's character in Under the Banner of Heaven real? ›
Andrew Garfield's character in Under the Banner of Heaven, Jeb Pyre, isn't a real person, but the performance is very much rooted in authenticity.
Was Jeb Pyre a real person? ›
Pyre is an invented character who does not exist in real life as one of the detectives who investigated the murders. The detective who investigated the double homicide was primarily Terry Fox, who was the American Fork police chief.
How much of Under the Banner of Heaven is true? ›
Though the detectives are fictional, the case is very real. After uncovering a number of secrets of the Lafferty family, the detectives race to capture Dan (Wyatt Russell) and Ron Lafferty (Sam Worthington) and they do so in the show's finale, but that is where the drama ends — the real case was far from over.
What happened to the real people in Under the Banner of Heaven? ›
Dan, who is now in his mid 70s, is serving a life sentence at Utah State Prison. He claimed to have killed both Brenda and Erica, but one of the brother's acquaintances said that Ron had admitted to killing Brenda and had thanked Dan for murdering Erica.
Is Detective Pyre still Mormon? ›
He says he's no longer part of the LDS Church, which upsets the devout Pyre. Flashbacks show Brenda was the vivacious daughter of an Idaho bishop, and she met Allen while attending Brigham Young University. The Lafferty family is a highly respected and conservative LDS family.
Did Dan Lafferty marry his daughter? ›
In the end, Dan changed his mind about taking Matilda's daughter as his wife and instead married a woman named Ann Randak who he'd met when borrowing a horse from the ranch she worked at.
What happened to Ron Lafferty's wife Diana? ›
Brenda, who didn't agree with Ron and Dan's fundamentalist views, strongly advised Dianna to seek divorce from Ron. Unable to find any other way out, Dianna officially filed for divorce, which was finalized in 1983. Following their split, Dianna moved back to Florida, taking their six kids with her.
Where are the Lafferty brothers now? ›
Nov. 11, 2019: Ron Lafferty dies of natural causes after spending 34 years on death row, one of the longest-serving condemned inmates in the country. 2022: Dan Lafferty remains in the Utah State Prison, serving a life sentence.
How do Mormons feel about Under the Banner of Heaven? ›
“Dustin Lance Black Is Ready for Backlash, 'Death Threats' From the Mormon Church Thanks to Under the Banner of Heaven,” read another. As promised, the show has managed to offend or at least alienate most of the Latter-day Saints who have given it a chance, including the most sophisticated viewers.
The Aftermath Of Brenda Lafferty's Murder
Dan was sentenced to two life terms in prison; Ron was sentenced to death (but died in 2019 before his execution). Though Ron never spoke to the press, Dan did. He expressed no regrets for killing Brenda and Erica.
What happened to Claudine Lafferty? ›
“How could someone hear what they were planning and not do anything to warn Brenda?” Brenda's sister Betty Wright McEntire asked Krakauer. “I just can't understand it.” As of 2004, Claudine was reportedly working at the Provo LDS Temple. She died in 2016, at the age of 96.
What happened to the baby in Under the Banner of Heaven? ›
The FX series is based upon the real murders of Brenda Lafferty and her infant daughter Erica, killed by Ron and Dan Lafferty. With its depiction of murder, Mormonism and extreme beliefs, “Under the Banner of Heaven” is certainly a wild show.
Is detective Jeb Pyre a real person? ›
Jeb Pyre, the investigator at the heart of the case in the show, is actually a fictional character. However, as Garfield, 38, explained to E! News in an exclusive interview, he spoke with a real detective to help shape his portrayal of Det. Pyre.
Are any of the actors in Under the Banner of Heaven Mormon? ›
So Under the Banner of Heaven is in some ways a milestone for Mormon representation: though none of the main cast members are active or former Mormons, creator Dustin Lance Black was raised in the church and became an industry name as the only writer of Mormon experience in the writer's room for Big Love, HBO's ...
What happened to Jeb Pyre? ›
Once the Lafferty family's brothers are apprehended and their wives are found safe, Jeb Pyre returns home to his own family where they join in prayer, though Pyre keeps his eyes open. As Under the Banner of Heaven ends, Jeb takes his mother to a river nearby where the two soak in the natural beauty.
Is the detective in Under the Banner of Heaven a real person? ›
Detectives Jeb Pyre and Bill Taba are characters that were created purely for the show, Newsweek reports. Actor Andrew Garfield, who plays Pyre, told Newsweek that while the characters aren't based on any real persons involved in the case, he did speak to a Mormon detective to prepare for the role.
