Nicole Kidman has revived Simon Baker’s career, whether he likes it or not.
Baker, 56, best known as the lead of CBS’s The Mentalist, joins Kidman in Scarpetta, a new forensic crime thriller premiering March 11 on Prime Video.
Baker plays Benton Wesley, an FBI profiler and love interest to Kidman’s character Dr. Kay Scarpetta.
The two have been friends for decades, Kidman is the godmother of one of Baker’s children, making their first on-screen pairing one of the most anticipated reunions of the year.
The show has been years in the making. Kidman has been pursuing the project for nearly two decades:
“I’ve been pursuing Scarpetta for nearly 20 years going back to when it was intended to be a feature.
To unite with the formidable Jamie Lee Curtis, Prime Video, Jason Blum, and David Gordon Green on the Liz Sarnoff series version of Patricia Cornwell’s epic and thrilling books feels like it was meant to be.”
Patricia Cornwell, who wrote the novels the show is based on, was equally enthusiastic:
“I’ve always been a huge fan of Jamie Lee Curtis and Nicole Kidman,” Cornwell said. “Their wanting to do this is humbling and simply awesome. This has been worth waiting for, and I’m so looking forward to the show.”
Jamie Lee Curtis, who executive produced the series through her company Comet Pictures, was more direct about what viewers should expect:
“I know the ardent fans of the books will be very happy, and the new audience will be compelled by the characters, crimes, and mysteries that are the trifecta of Patricia’s masterful storytelling. A warning — there WILL be BLOOD.”
What Is The New Simon Baker Show About?
Scarpetta is based on Patricia Cornwell’s bestselling Kay Scarpetta book series, which spans 29 novels and has sold over 120 million copies worldwide since the character’s debut in 1990.
The series follows Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a brilliant forensic pathologist and medical examiner who is determined to serve as the voice of victims, unmask a serial killer, and prove that her career-making case from 28 years prior isn’t also her undoing.
The show runs across two timelines, Kidman plays the present-day Scarpetta while Rosy McEwen portrays her younger self in flashback sequences.
Simon Baker’s FBI profiler Benton Wesley appears in both timelines, with Hunter Parrish playing the younger version of the character.
Jamie Lee Curtis plays Scarpetta’s troubled sister Dorothy Farinelli. Ariana DeBose plays Kay’s tech-savvy niece Lucy Watson. Bobby Cannavale plays Detective Pete Marino, a seasoned investigator caught between loyalty and professional duty.
The series was developed and written by Liz Sarnoff and is produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Blumhouse Television.
Pilot director David Gordon Green, whose credits include the Halloween franchise, helms the first episode. The series filmed in Nashville and wrapped production in March 2025.
Where Can I Watch The New Series?
Scarpetta premieres March 11, 2026, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries worldwide. All eight episodes of the first season drop simultaneously on premiere day.
Prime Video is available on all major streaming devices, smart TVs, phones, and tablets. A Prime membership is required to watch.
Does Simon Baker Have A Girlfriend?
Simon Baker is not married. He divorced Australian actress Rebecca Rigg in 2021 after 22 years of marriage.
The two had been together for 29 years total, first meeting on a blind date in 1991 before co-starring in the Australian soap opera E Street.
They share three children, daughter Stella, 31, and sons Claude, 26, and Harry, 24.
Since the divorce Baker has been linked to Australian fashion and lifestyle photographer Brigette Clark, 30, who is 25 years his junior.
The two were first spotted together at Tamarama Beach in Sydney in November 2022 and have been on and off since.
They were most recently photographed holding hands in New York City in February 2025. Baker has not publicly confirmed the relationship. He has not remarried.
