Bad Monkey has become a surprise hit for Apple TV+. The black comedy crime drama stars Vince Vaughn as Andrew Yancy, a former detective turned food inspector who finds an intriguing case literally falling on his lap in the form of a severed arm. Several interweaving plots are told by a narrator as Yancy investigates and finds himself caught up in a scheme of corruption and greed.

The story and characters are based on the Carl Hiaasen novel of the same name. And while Vaughn shines in the lead role, the supporting cast is just as compelling. Among them is one star who is shaping up to be the breakout of the series.

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Who Is Eve in Bad Monkey?

Eve Stripling, played by Meredith Hagner, is the wife of the wealthy but corrupt businessman Nick Stripling, played by Rob Delaney. Fans learn in the third episode that Nick isn’t actually dead. Instead, he faked his own death by having his arm cut off and paid a young man to pretend to find the limb while fishing. This suggests to authorities that he’s dead and gone. But in reality, Nick and his wife, Eve, have much bigger plans in store.

Eve is a struggling actress, fans learn in Episode 4, who happens upon Nick while doing what most struggling actors do: working as a waitress at a bar. The two strike up a conversation, and while Nick believes Eve is totally out of his league, she becomes intrigued when she learns of her wealth.

A stereotypical gold-digger, Eve inserts herself into Nick’s life, insisting that he make good on his promise to give her a good life. That’s all she wants, and she’s willing to do anything – anything – to get it. That includes marrying the man she believes will give her everything she desires.

As the plot persists, it’s clear that Eve is the one running the show, not Nick. But she does so with a cute, playful tone. Dressed in flowing sundresses with her little pup Tilly always in hand, she comes across as a sweet but arrogant rich lady. But she’s far more sinister than meets the eye. She has Nick wrapped around her finger. He’s so desperate not to lose her that he literally cuts off his own limb to stop her from leaving him. The story is so unbelievable, but Eve’s skill at manipulation and complete disregard for others shows a broken but evil woman. She somehow manages to get Nick to go to such extremes, even without much convincing.

While the series continues through October 9, 2024, for its 10-episode run, it’s clear from a few pivotal moments that Eve is not someone anyone should mess with. She delivers threats with a smile and doesn’t hesitate to take out enemies or get others to do it for her. She’s a consummate femme fatale yet looks like a lady who goes for brunch with friends every Sunday and gossips about the neighbors. The character comes to life so beautifully because of how well Hagner plays her. With just as many scenes as Vaughn, Hagner is poised to become the break-out star of this series.

Meredith Hagner Is a Rising Star

While her name might not immediately be familiar, Hagner, who is married to Wyatt Russell (son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn), has been acting since 2008. She got her big break as Liberty Ciccone in the daytime soap opera As the World Turns, which she was on from 2008 to 2010. Indeed, the character of Eve has slight soapy undertones: the heavy theatrics and dramatics at times show that Hagner hasn’t lost all her soap opera charms. She earned a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for the portrayal, helping her land more roles from there.

Later, she was a series regular in the FX drama Lights Out in 2011, and then she starred in the TBS sitcom Men at Work from 2012 to 2014. Her biggest role to date was in HBO Max’s dark comedy Search Party, where she played the shallow actress Portia Davenport, who isn’t that different from Eve. She is a friend of the main character, Dory, who helps her investigate the disappearance of an old college acquaintance. The role earned Hagner praise and brought her name to the forefront. Rolling Stone called her character Portia one of the best TV characters of 2016.

Hagner has had other minor roles in projects like the Facebook Watch comedy-drama Strangers, the Quibi comedy Dummy, and movies like Hits (2014), Folk Hero & Funny Guy (2016), The Oath (2018), and Brightburn (2019). In the show Younger, she was Montana, a barista friend of Maggie (Debi Mazar) who starts to work as her assistant until she’s caught copying her art. She was also a main character in the short-lived comedy-drama Strangers, which aired from 2017 to 2018. Hagner has also made minor appearances in many other shows, from Veep to CSI: Miami, and has played roles both big and small.

Most recently, before this role as Eve in Bad Monkey, Hagner appeared in the movie Palm Springs in 2020. The film stars Andy Samberg and Christin Milioti as Nyles and Sarah, strangers who meet at a wedding and end up together in a time loop. Her role is that of Nyles’ girlfriend and a bridesmaid at the wedding. It’s arguably this role in Bad Monkey, however, that will have people taking Hagner more seriously as a versatile actor.

Hagner Brings the Remorseless Eve to Life in Bad Monkey

Hagner manages to capture the essence of the character of Eve, a young woman who truly believes she deserves the world. She is desperate to be famous, rich, or both. She selfishly thinks she has somehow earned this as a right. Her treatment of Nick is downright manipulative, yet he can’t seem to resist her charms. She knows exactly what to say and when to say it. The way she smiles in someone’s face and then instantly switches to disdain and terrifying threats, only to return to her jovial, welcoming self once again, is frightening and believable. It’s like her biggest acting role in life is the way she presents herself as someone she isn’t. And she takes pride in that.

There are layers to her seemingly shallow, one-dimensional character that Hagner brings out, from the giggly laugh to the lowered head and piercing glare when she needs someone to know she won’t hesitate to make a move. And she does, time and time again. She gets her husband to do heinous things, orders her henchman Egg (David St. Louis) to do so, or sometimes, even gets her own hands dirty. Eve has a singular focus, and that’s herself and opulent wealth. Yet she makes everyone around her feel like she actually cares about anything and anyone else. She does the most awful things with a feeling of irreverence, as if nothing else really matters anyway.

Hagner tells Collider in an interview that the character is a bona fide psychopath, and she calls playing this role a “real actress’ dream. I get to be the actual textbook sociopath,” she says, “someone who feels zero empathy.” Interestingly, Hagner adds that she doesn’t play Eve as a bad person because Eve herself doesn’t believe she is. “She feels completely justified in all of her actions, and doing something absolutely horrendous for her is just like grabbing a cup of coffee.”

Much like the second season of The White Lotus had fans staring at Meghann Fahy in amazement and wondering where she had been all this time, fans may be thinking the same of Hagner. This role will likely be a jumping-off point for her already steady career. Hagner has done a lot of indie movies and projects, with only a handful of high-profile roles on her resume. But after bringing this version of Eve to life, which is one part soap opera drama, one part beach gal, and all parts narcissist, her phone will likely be ringing off the hook. Grab this actor some roles. While Eve might have failed as an actress, Hagner most certainly has not. Stream Bad Monkey on Apple TV+.