Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Cape Fear Episode 3.
Apple TV’s new hit series, Cape Fear, has already delivered plenty of thrilling moments in just three short episodes, including a shocking bit of body horror, an enigmatic teen with strange ties to the Bowden children, and a tension that’s definitely building towards something more terrifying from its main antagonist, Max Cady (Javier Bardem). The show’s suspenseful tone shares similarities with the 1991 adaptation of the same name directed by Martin Scorsese, but, in an unexpected twist, the Apple TV series has revealed another exciting connection to its movie predecessor.
A Mysterious Woman Is Stalking Max Cady in Apple TV’s ‘Cape Fear’
In the premiere of Cape Fear, Max is released from prison after being exonerated. We’ve only learned bits and pieces about his past in subsequent episodes, but it’s clear that his childhood was filled with abandonment and trauma, including moments when he was forced into a cage by his father. One of the main mysteries surrounding Max is the odd woman who seems to be stalking him. She always appears completely covered up, with a hood, large sunglasses, and a medical mask hiding her face. She keeps popping up in weird places, and then, in Episode 3, she knocks on Anna Bowden’s (Amy Adams) motel door and calls out to Max. She jingles a dog collar and says she has a present for him. Before Anna can open the door to get a good look at her, the woman disappears.
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Later, Max is in his new home, but the woman has somehow broken in and left him a small TV and a VHS tape, as well as an envelope. The grainy video shows the woman removing her mask for the first time before she begins to sing an eerie version of the Butthole Surfers’ song, “Jingle of a Dog’s Collar.” Max opens the envelope to reveal the same dog collar the woman tried to give him at the motel. What happens next is completely unexpected. Max starts hyperventilating and crying hysterically before picking up the entire TV and smashing it on the ground. He then strikes the television over and over again with a fire poker until it’s utterly destroyed. The scene is intriguing, but the best part is the reveal of the actress playing this strange woman.
Juliette Lewis Has Joined the Cast of Apple TV’s ‘Cape Fear’
Cape Fear fans may have instantly recognized Juliette Lewis, whose casting in the Apple TV series serves as a surprising new connection to the 1991 film. In that adaptation, Lewis plays Danielle, the daughter of the Bowdens, who is seduced and manipulated by Max Cady (Robert De Niro). The actress’s performance was so captivating that she managed to snag an Academy Award nomination at just 18 years old. This inspired casting choice for the TV show is a fun and creative callback that still cranks up the drama and suspense. Plus, having Max play a VHS tape instead of a more modern option is also a fun nod to the movie itself.
It’s not just that Lewis is talented enough to play a character capable of terrifying Max Cady; her reveal also sets up a thrilling direction for a surprising subplot. Is this woman somehow controlling Max? Do the song and dog collar hold significant meaning for him? Will this mystery woman pop up for a face-to-face confrontation in a future episode? Could she also be a danger to the Bowden family? There’s clearly a lot to explore as the miniseries progresses, but the introduction of Lewis’ character is both a credit to her talents and a tribute to one of her earliest roles in Cape Fear‘s previous iteration.
Cape Fear
- Release Date
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June 4, 2026
- Network
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Apple TV
- Showrunner
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Nick Antosca
- Directors
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Amanda Marsalis, Morten Tyldum, Stephen Williams, Jon S. Baird, Jonathan van Tulleken, Reed Morano, S.J. Clarkson, Trey Edward Shults
