Jonathan Tropper & Cassie Pappas Detail Character-Driven Approach to Apple TV's 'Lucky'

Co-showrunners Jonathan Tropper and Cassie Pappas discussed their approach to adapting the novel "Lucky" into a seven-episode Apple TV limited series, according to a recent podcast interview reported by The Playlist. The pair emphasized a character-first philosophy for the thriller, which stars Anya Taylor-Joy as a con artist forced back into a life she tried to escape.

Tropper and Pappas explained that while they used core themes from Marissa Stapley's book, significant changes were necessary for television. "We knew that to make it the kind of taut thriller we wanted it to be, we would have to invent certain plot and character elements and stay away from certain plot points in the book," Tropper said. Their goal was to make the danger surrounding the protagonist more immediate and visceral.

The central father-daughter relationship remained the emotional cornerstone. "Day one, page one, we were always looking at character first, and we were looking at the father-daughter relationship," Pappas said. They explored the idea of inherited baggage, heightened by a life of crime.

The series was a genuine co-showrunning effort. Tropper noted the project needed a strong female perspective, a role Pappas filled while he also worked on another series. "Cassie was really on the ground in L.A. daily, running the show once we were in production," he explained.

Anya Taylor-Joy, who also serves as an executive producer, was attached to the project early with a clear vision for her character. "She had a pretty strong point of view about the character," Tropper said. The series, which also stars Timothy Olyphant, Annette Bening, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, is now streaming on Apple TV as of July 2026.