'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgP/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMSmKD//xAAeEAABAwQDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAQMRAAQFEgYhIv/aAAgBAQABPwDH8mfsLORDcHD9ASyMU7m3EdNDt2tkVZ1Xqv/EABYRAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAv/aAAgBAgEBPwA03//EABoRAQABBQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAAMRQbH/2gAIAQMBAT8AlbiYA0cr/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Happy Face (2025) is a true-crime drama series that premiered on Paramount+ on March 20, 2025, and spans eight episodes. It follows Melissa Reed, portrayed by Annaleigh Ashford, a makeup artist whose life unravels when her father, Keith Hunter Jesperson — the Happy Face Killer — reemerges.
Jesperson, played by Dennis Quaid, is a real serial killer convicted of eight murders in the 1990s, now serving life in Oregon State Penitentiary. The story begins in Vancouver, where Melissa lives quietly with her husband Ben (James Wolk) and children Hazel (Khiyla Aynne) and Max (Benjamin Mackey).
Her peace shatters when Jesperson contacts The Dr. Greg Show, a fictional talk show where she works, claiming a ninth victim and demanding to speak with her. That forces Melissa to reveal her identity on air, pulling her into a public confrontation with her past.
Trending
Dr. Greg, played by David Harewood, hosts the show that becomes the stage for this drama. His role amplifies Melissa’s struggle, blending her personal crisis with media sensationalism.
Who is Dr. Greg from Happy Face based on?
Dr. Greg in Happy Face is a fictional character portrayed by David Harewood, introduced when the series launched on Paramount+ on March 20, 2025. He hosts The Dr. Greg Show, a daytime talk program where Melissa works as a makeup artist. In episode one, Keith Jesperson calls the show, claiming a ninth victim and insisting on speaking to his daughter.
Greg, a charismatic yet pushy host, pressures Melissa to engage, turning her private pain into a public spectacle. His character isn't a real person but draws inspiration from Dr. Phil McGraw, a well-known TV psychologist. Melissa Moore — Jesperson’s real daughter — appeared on Dr. Phil in 2008 to discuss her father’s crimes.
Dr. Phil McGraw, born in 1950 in Oklahoma, has hosted his self-titled show since 2002, focusing on personal struggles and emotional revelations.
While Jesperson never called McGraw’s show, Moore’s appearance parallels Greg’s role in pushing Melissa’s story forward. Created by Jennifer Cacicio, Greg’s exaggerated style — crafted for drama — differs from McGraw’s clinical approach, but the influence is clear.
McGraw has no direct tie to Jesperson’s case beyond that 2008 episode. In Happy Face, Greg’s significance lies in forcing Melissa to face her father, sparking her quest to verify his claim and aid Elijah (Damon Gupton), an innocent man facing execution in Texas. The fictional host amplifies the real media scrutiny Moore endured.
What's the case Happy Face is based on?
The series is inspired by the real-life story of Melissa Moore and her father, Keith Hunter Jesperson. Jesperson, born April 6, 1955, in Chilliwack, Canada, murdered eight women across the US from 1990 to 1995, strangling them and leaving smiley-faced notes for police.
Arrested in 1995 for killing Julie Winningham in Washougal, Washington, he confessed to seven other murders, including Taunja Bennett in Oregon. He’s now 69, serving life without parole in Oregon.
Moore, born 1979, learned of his crimes at 15, later authoring Shattered Silence (2009) with M. Bridget Cook and hosting the 2018 Happy Face podcast, which the series adapts.
Stay tuned for more news and updates, and watch Happy Face on Paramount+.
