Amanda Seyfried Replaces Kate McKinnon To Play Disgraced Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes

Hulu's upcoming series The Dropout has found its new face for Elizabeth Holmes in Amanda Seyfried. The actress will replace Kate McKinnon, who dropped out of the role last month, Entertainment Weekly reports.

The Dropout is based on the ABC News podcast of the same name, which follows Holmes' meteoric rise as the founder of biotech startup Theranos, and how her fame and riches unraveled once it was revealed the firm's supposedly ground-breaking technology didn't actually work. The company claimed that its technology could carry out any blood test with just a single drop of blood, but its devices failed to stand up to scientific scrutiny.

Holmes has been charged with multiple counts of fraud to which she has pleaded not guilty. The trial has been postponed multiple times due to COVID-19, and is currently set to take place on July 13, 2021. If found guilty, Holmes could face up to 20 years in prison and over $2 million in fines.

The Hulu series has New Girl's Elizabeth Meriwether attached as showrunner and executive producer, with Seyfried also set to produce. Seyfried is nominated for Best Supporting Actress in the upcoming Academy Awards for her role as classic Hollywood actress Marion Davies in Netflix's Mank.