For fans of Prime Video’s hit crime television show Reacher are in for a treat this September with Neagley. Jack Reacher and Frances Neagley forged a bond while serving time in the Army’s Special Investigations Unit together and that relationship continues to evolve.
Danish actress Maria Sten first appeared as Frances on the fifth episode of season one of Reacher. The fan favorite character now spins off for eight episodes on her own and Alan Ritchson returns the favor by guesting on her solo undertaking.
Neagley follows the adventures of a private investigator seeking justice in Chicago and discovers a dangerous cult in the process.
Maria moved to the United States to make a career when she was eighteen. She began with writing for television and short films. This led to her acting in several featurettes and the main role of Liz Tremayne in 2019 for DC Universe’s Swamp Thing.
She joined the Reacherverse in 2022 and expands her Neagley brand in 2026. Before the premiere, Sten talked about her starring role while visiting the Windy City at The Peninsula Hotel.
JN: (Jerry Nunn) Was Neagley filmed in Chicago?
MS: (Maria Sten) No, but I am glad we fooled you. We filmed the majority of the show in Toronto.
We filmed the hero shots, like the river and the train tracks, in Chicago.
JN: What scenes did you personally come to Chicago for?
MS: I spent over a week filming here for the important shots. I wish we could shoot the whole season here. That would be incredible because filming in one place allows a texture to the material instead of hopping around to different places.
JN: Was the Cubs game scene filmed at the stadium?
MS: That was filmed at Wrigley Field at a live game. It was a Cubs versus the White Sox game, which was really cool.
JN: How tough was the training and stunts for Neagley?
MS: Pretty intense. The producers like to bring in heavy action scenes, just like Reacher.
Neagley is slightly different. She is running a lot, so I prepared for that. I had to make sure my conditioning was good and I needed to stay in shape the entire time.
I worked on my footwork because that will always show another person that you know what you are doing or not. Professional athletes will look at a person’s feet and know if someone is an amateur or not. It’s an overlooked, important part of the process in fight scenes.
JN: I need to work on my footwork…
MS: We all do! [laughs]
JN: I originally wanted to be a background player because I saw it was filmed outside my day job, but now I need to fly to Canada.
MS: Come visit us there.
JN: How do you compare Neagley to Reacher? I watched Neagley without knowing Reacher, so viewers can do the same and understand the story without homework.
MS: I am glad you say that and I agree with you. I do feel that we share a lot of the same DNA in terms of the stories built around solving cases and tons of action sequences, but Neagley has a universe all on its own. There might be people who discover the Reacher universe through Neagley and there are also true Reacher fans who now find the world of Neagley.
It’s nice that we give people some of the same things, while still having our own flavor.
JN: In the opening scene, I saw an attractive naked man and I knew it was the show for me.
MS: Then you saw what happened to him…
JN: I did. I also noticed a few queer aspects to the series and I saw the cult as being similar to conversion therapy.
MS: These cults are preying on people’s weaknesses and keeping them away from their loved ones. They are definitely the bad guys.
JN: In France’s apartment, there are action figures on a shelf. What inspired this collection?
MS: It is a Neagley thing. She has her childlike ways and she never really had a childhood because she had to be an adult to take care of her dad.
She has quirks about her that are nods to the childhood she never had, like the cereal, the shirts, the cartoons and action figures. There are Easter eggs throughout the show to watch out for along the way.
She is a person who is still a child in many ways, yet not at all.
JN: Where would you like to see the character go in the future?
MS: I look forward to seeing what choices the character will make after the last episode. She goes on such a wild emotional journey in the first season. There are people who come into her life that she tries to keep out. There is so much change within her in this season and the ground is pulled out from under her. There are many decisions to be made about what her life will be like after something like that happens. I would like to see that explored in another season.
Her dealing with peer trauma could be important in the future. Will she be able to move forward or will she regress? We shall see what happens.
JN: You do an incredible job of carrying the show on your shoulders.
MS: Thank you.
JN: Do you have time for other projects when you are not filming the show?
MS: I have a few projects. I am also a writer, so I am working on a few things. JN: What would you tell our readers to entice them to see Neagley?
MS: Neagley is exciting and thrilling. The show is also weird and dark. It is sinister, but also has so much heart. There is a lot of fun, dry humor.
Neagley is the best friend that you always wanted.
Neagley releases the entire first season on September, 16, 2026, on primevideo.com.