The drama follows Daniel (Laurie Davidson), the privileged heir to a billionaire family, as he falls for Cherry (Olivia Cooke), a magnetic young woman who may not be what she seems. His mother Laura, played by Wright, grows increasingly wary of Cherry, sparking a tense battle for influence.

Wright, who also directed the series, describes it as “a triangular love story” where maternal instinct collides with dangerous attraction. “Is Laura just being paranoid, or is Cherry truly untrustworthy?” she asks.

Key points from Robin Wright’s The Girlfriend:

• Dual perspectives: The story alternates between Cherry’s and Laura’s viewpoints, making the audience question whom to believe.

• Themes of power and obsession: The wealthy family navigates open marriage, hidden desires, and blurred family boundaries.

• Controversial moments: Wright revealed the show “had to up the ante,” including a provocative mother-son kiss, adding unsettling psychological layers.

• Strong performances: Olivia Cooke delivers what Wright calls a “bullish, animalistic energy,” contrasting Laura’s polished elegance.

• Modern storytelling: With intimacy coordinators shaping sensitive scenes, Wright says the final result preserved both authenticity and restraint.

Cooke admits she empathized with Cherry’s half-truths, noting that in a world where billionaires bend the rules, her character’s deception feels almost forgivable. For Wright, now 59, playing a woman still fully immersed in her desires was important: “Why stop at 40? Get the women at 60, at 70. It’s still life.”

The actress is no stranger to groundbreaking television, having helped redefine the medium with House of Cards. She recalls David Fincher pitching streaming itself to her back in 2011, long before it became the norm.

Looking ahead, Wright is preparing Bingo, a daring film about a teenage boy and a 70-year-old woman who fall in love while confronting mortality. “Love is love. Connection is connection,” she says.

The Girlfriend premieres on Prime Video on September 10, offering viewers a suspenseful, unsettling look at desire, power, and the secrets that bind families.