JDIFF interview with Alexander Jeffrey and Bridget Regan
At Fort Riley, Kansas, the death of a young Korean woman is deemed routine until an autopsy uncovers something far more sinister. Inspired by true events.
“Fixation” is set to have its World Premiere at SeriesFest in May 2026. It stars Brett Dalton (Agents of SHIELD), Susan Elle, Jocelin Donahue, Nicholas Logan, Bridget Regan, Keong Sim, Hilary Ward, and William Ragsdale.
It is based on a novel of the same name written by Dr. Steve Smart and based on true events in his life.
JDIFF caught up with Fixation’s writer/director Alexander Jeffrey, and producer and cast member, Bridget Regan (Jane the Virgin, Agent Carter) ahead of our “From the Written Word to the Screen” panel, and their anticipated world premiere next month.
JDIFF: Alexander, you’re the Executive Director of the El Dorado Film Festival, where Fixation author, Steve Smart, lives. The film was filmed in Shreveport, LA, where you’re based day-to-day. What is it about the book that made you want to adapt it? Did the local angle also play a part in that decision?
Alexander: I received a manuscript for this story before the book even came out. The Smarts are not only family friends, but Steve removed my wisdom teeth when I was in high school. We go way back and he’s always been a big advocate of my filmmaking and acting. What struck me immediately about the story was that the bad guy could potentially get away with it. Jin Elliott, who is the murder victim in the story, underwent surgery that she didn’t need, it was cosmetic, and although it would have given her better function for chewing food, etc, it really got me thinking about what we value in the U.S. The fact that she wanted to “fix” her face really struck me. The local angle definitely played a part in my decision and the fact that Steve really gave us creative freedom to take the story and bring our own twists to it.
JDIFF: Bridget, you’re an established actress with a consistent career and you’re based in Los Angeles. Assuming you’ve encountered adapted IPs before, what was it about Fixation, a Louisiana based story and production, that made you want to not just come on board, but also join as a producer?
Bridget: The fact that this story is true had me hooked from the first moment I read it. It had so many elements that make for compelling television: mystery, courtroom drama, obsession, betrayal… and then you find out it actually happened? That’s when it goes from interesting to unmissable.
Having Steve involved in bringing his own story to the screen made it all the more fascinating and, frankly, added a layer of responsibility we all took very seriously. Being on set, working with Brett Dalton (who is extraordinary in the role) while he embodied Steve on the stand in those courtroom scenes while Steve stood just off camera, was wild. That kind of surreal loop doesn’t happen often, and it sharpens and heightens everyone’s work. For me, playing the attorney who might help a guilty man get off the hook, meant sitting in some genuinely uncomfortable moral territory, which is exactly where I want to be.
When a project has this much specificity, this much real texture, you want to protect it. Louisiana isn’t just a backdrop here, it’s a character. The culture, the legal landscape, being set on an Army base; the psychology of the place all shape the story in ways that matter. We had an incredible Louisiana crew and actors from all over that rallied to Shreveport to bring this to life. It was a real special shoot.
Steve was incredibly generous throughout. He shared his perspective both as a physician and as someone reliving something deeply personal and painful. That kind of access and trust doesn’t come without courage on his part, and it informed every choice we at Picture Pool made. I’m always drawn to work that exposes more of our humanity, the uglier, more complicated parts included and Fixation does exactly that.
JDIFF: You’re in a unique position of adapting something that is already a bit of an adaptation. Did you consult Steve about the real events that took place beyond the book? Did any of it make it into the pilot even though it wasn't featured in the book?
AJ: Absolutely. Steve essentially became a dramaturg in the adaptation of this story. The book was the starting point, but we spent tons of time asking him questions about the real experience. A lot of the scenes from the pilot episode are in the book, but moments within those scenes sometimes tap more into the reality of what happened than the book does.
JDIFF: Is this your first ever adaptation?
AJ: It is, indeed! I have always considered adaptation out of reach because of licensing the rights of the material, but in this instance it was a collaboration directly with the author.
JDIFF: Were you searching for something to adapt, or did encountering this specific project made you especially passionate about the prospect of adapting?
AJ: I wasn’t searching for anything to adapt. This project fell into my lap and it kept my curiosity in a way that made me excited to pursue it.
JDIFF: What can you tell us about the future or the project?
BR: We’re heading to SeriesFest in Denver this May to debut the project, and honestly we can’t wait to get it in front of an audience. When it’s out of your hands and in a room full of strangers… there’s nothing quite like it. We’ve been living inside this story for a long time, so to finally share it feels like a real milestone.
The goal is to use that platform to connect with the right partners and secure funding to shoot the full first season. This story deserves to be told at scale. It has everything a wide audience responds to, and the true crime element gives it an immediacy that feels very much of the moment. We want this on a major platform where it can reach the people it was made for.