The Watcher star Samantha Blaire Cutler teases her role on the show

The Watcher is a highly-anticipated upcoming Netflix series from Ryan Murphy. Arriving this October, the new series is based on a chilling true story and boasts an impressive cast of talent that includes Naomi Watts, Jennifer Coolidge, Bobby Cannavale, Mia Farrow, and more. Among the star-studded roster is up-and-coming actress Samantha Blaire Cutler, who you might recognize from her role as Becca Weston on the hit STARZ series Ghost: Power Book II.

Booking The Watcher has been an incredible experience for Samantha, an avid fan of Murphy’s other works like Glee and American Horror Story. The series follows a family after they purchase their dream house and start getting mysterious, creepy letters signed by “the watcher.”

Samantha was kind enough to chat with Netflix Life about her role on the new series, what it was like working with Ryan Murphy, and more!

The Watcher star Samantha Blaire Cutler shares what it was like to work with Ryan Murphy and Joe Mantello

Samantha Blaire Cutler grew up watching Glee, so you can imagine her excitement at landing a role in a Ryan Murphy production. Despite not being a huge horror fan, Samantha tells us she even started watching American Horror Story and “loved every second.”

And of course, when asked if she would ever consider guest-starring on the horror anthology series, Samantha said yes, adding that it was the third season, American Horror Story: Coven, that got her into the show (but she also gave Lady Gaga a shout-out for her scene-stealing turn as the Countess in American Horror Story: Hotel!).

For Samantha, getting to meet Ryan Murphy was a dream come true.

"“Getting to meet Ryan, I was pretty nervous, but when he walked on, he commands his set and the crew on The Watcher were some of the best people I’ve ever worked with from the assistant directors, to make-up artists to hairstylists—everyone was so incredible.”"

Samantha was also thrilled to work with Joe Mantello, who plays her on-screen father in The Watcher.

"“And Joe Mantello, who actually plays my dad, was the director of Wicked, the original production, so my little girl heart was like, ‘This is too much!’ I got to talk to him and I told him how much Wicked meant to me. It was just such an honor.”"

Samantha Blaire Cutler teases her character in The Watcher

Samantha plays Patricia “Pat” Graff, part of the Graffiti family in The Watcher. Samantha describes her as a 17-year-old who loves fashion, boys, and “making her dad a little bit angry, as teenage daughters like to do.”

About her role in the show, the actress said Pat “is owning herself, owning her sexuality, and that doesn’t really make her strict father very happy [which] might lead to some issues for the entire family.”

The true story behind The Watcher

As mentioned above, The Watcher is based on a true story covered in a 2018 article published by The Cut, forming the basis for the television series.

When asked about the true-story angle, Samantha said:

"“Once I got it, I read the entire story and I was just like, how is this real? And how is this something that happened only in 2017 or 2018? This is crazy, right? Even when I got to the end of the story, they still never figured out who it was, who was sending the letters. I thought [it was cool how] the show plays it out and dramatizes it. Even on set, I was wondering who it was and we were making guesses and hypothesizing!”"

The Watcher premieres on October 13 on Netflix.