Love and Death, a limited TV series on HBO Max, features 10-year-old Harper Heath, a Rockwall, Texas native, as one of its stars. The show is centered around the infamous Wylie axe murder.
Written by David E. Kelly, Love and Death takes place in Wylie, but was shot in a location near Austin during the fall of 2021. The plot revolves around Candy Montgomery, portrayed by Elizabeth Olsen, who embarks on an extramarital affair with her friend Betty Gore's spouse, eventually leading to Candy's brutal killing of Betty on June 13, 1980.
The series draws inspiration from both the book A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs and the 1984 Texas Monthly article Love and Death in the Silicon Prairie.
In addition to Harper Heath, who played Alisa Gore, Betty Gore's daughter, the cast also includes Jesse Plemons, Lily Rabe and Patrick Fugit.
“Being on set with these talented actors was so amazing,” said Heath in an official statement. “It wasn’t like a job, it was a dream come true.”
The series first premiered at the SXSW Film and TV Festival in Austin, and will begin airing on HBO Max on April 27, 2023.
“Love and Death is Harper’s first on-camera, recurring role," said Heath's manager Nita Brochu of New Beginnings Entertainment. “She worked hard to get that booking, and she nailed it with the professionalism unseen in some adults.”
From a young age, Heath enjoyed the spotlight and performing and at age 3, landed an interview with a talent agency in Dallas which signed her immediately. She booked her first commercial at age 4, and has since worked on projects from print to commercials, as well as short films. Around age 7, she booked her first feature film and shortly after, booked the role of Alisa Gore.
“Success in the entertainment business is a matter of work ethic, and Harper’s commitment and perseverance is unmatched at any age,” says Donald Rey, an acting coach who works closely with Harper. “She puts sweat and tears into her art.”
