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NBC Insider Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy

Chris Sullivan Is Reuniting With a This Is Us Co-Star for a Terrifying New Show

Sullivan, who played Toby on This Is Us, will star in Peacock's upcoming limited series Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy. 

By Jessica White

Peacock's upcoming limited series Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy is going to be an eerie watch. But fans may take comfort seeing a This Is Us alum in the cast: Chris Sullivan, who played the lovable Toby Damon for six seasons on NBC. 

How to Watch

Watch This Is Us episodes on NBC.

Be warned, though: This show is nothing like This Is Us. In fact, it's the polar opposite. Inspired by the 2021 Peacock docuseries produced by NBC News Studios, John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise, per a press release, is a "scripted, dramatized limited series based on the harrowing crimes of one of America's most notorious serial killers and the rigorous investigation that ultimately brought him down." Sullivan's character plays a critical role in bringing Gacy to justice. 

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And get this: He'll be joined by another This Is Us co-star on the show! Read more details, below:

Who will Chris Sullivan play in Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy?

Sullivan plays Lead Prosecutor Bill Kunkle, who passed away in November 2022. Kunkle was a driving force behind securing the death penalty for Gacy. 

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Toby talking on the phone.

 

What is Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy about?

A description of the series teases, "From 1972-1978, 33 young men were tragically kidnapped, murdered, and buried in a crawl space beneath their killer's house. And no one was the wiser. Not for all those years. Why? He was charming and funny. Had a good, All-American job. Was a community leader. He even volunteered to entertain sick kids... while dressed as a clown.

Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy peels back the twisted layers of John Wayne Gacy’s life while weaving in the heartrending stories of his mostly gay victims; exploring the grief, guilt, and trauma of their families and friends; and exposing the systemic failures, missed opportunities and societal prejudices that fueled his reign of terror.” 

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Toby and Kate in the hospital.

Who will play John Wayne Gacy in Devil in Disguise?

Severance star Michael Chernus will play John Wayne Gacy.

"I am both excited and humbled by this opportunity," "Chernus said in a press release (via Oxygen). "While Gacy was the perpetrator of these horrific crimes, I'm relieved that he won't be the main focus of the series. The direction that the writers are taking with this project is important, focusing on the victims and their families and those who finally brought John Wayne Gacy to justice."

"It's heartbreaking for me to think of what his victims could have done with their lives had the system not failed them so tragically," Chernus continued. "I believe in the power of storytelling. And hope that by telling this story in a thoughtful way, we can play some part in preventing this from ever happening again."

Chris Sullivan and Sterling K. Brown wearing blue suits at an event.

Who is in the cast of Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy?

Gabriel Luna (The Last of Us, Terminator: Dark Fate) plays Detective Rafael Tovar and will join Sullivan in the precinct. James Badge Dale (Savant, 1923) will also be seen in the police station as Chief of Detectives Joe Kozenczak. Other notable cast members of Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy include fellow This Is Us star Michael Angarano — who played young Nick Pearson — as Sam Amirante, and Marin Ireland (The Irishman, The Umbrella Academy) as Elizabeth Piest.

A release date for the show is not yet known. 

Watch This Is Us episodes on NBC.