Elin Hilderbrand Wanted Liev Schreiber to Play Tag in “The Perfect Couple”: 'Thought He Would Be So Perfect' (Exclusive)

"I really wanted Liev to do it," the author told PEOPLE at the series premiere

Elin Hilderbrand ended up with the "perfect" cast for The Perfect Couple.

The bestselling author, known for her Nantucket-based novels, revealed to PEOPLE at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix's latest murder-mystery series — which is based on her 2018 book of the same name — that she actually had Liev Schreiber in mind for the role even before he was cast.

In the six-episode project, Schreiber, 56, and Nicole Kidman star as a wealthy married couple whose son, Benji Winbury (Billy Howle), is set to marry Amelia Sacks (Eve Hewson). Schreiber plays the role of Tag Winbury, while Kidman appears as novelist Greer Garrison — when the pair are surrounded by a "real-life investigation that feels plucked from the pages of one of Greer’s novels" after a body turns up on a beach, per a synopsis.

"I did give a wishlist specifically," Hilderbrand says, of the show casting. "Well, specifically once I knew Nic was playing Greer, I really wanted Liev to do it."

"I was a huge Ray Donovan fan, he's one of my favorite actors. And I sent my wish to the showrunner," she adds. "And she said, 'I don't know.' And then a few weeks later, she goes, 'Elin, you might get your wish.' And she didn't say in regard to what, but I was hoping that's what she was talking about."

Related: Nicole Kidman Dazzles in Shimmering Black Halter Dress at The Perfect Couple Los Angeles Premiere

The Perfect Couple marks Hilderbrand's first project that's been given on-screen treatment. As she explains, she believes the "murder-mystery" aspect of it has something to do with that.

"It's so funny because I thought, 'OK, I'm going to try and write a murder mystery. And I had never done it before and I didn't follow any kind of formula," Hilderbrand says. "I didn't plot it out ahead of time. I did not know whodunnit until two-thirds of the way through the book."

Related: Elin Hilderbrand Steps into New Waters After Retiring from Writing Beach Reads (Exclusive)

"I thought it was one person, and then two thirds of the way through the book, I thought, 'No, it's not that person. It's this person.' And so I surprised even myself," the author adds. "So I think that element of the twists and turns as I was writing it, I think that makes it really prime television material."

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Kidman, Schreiber and other stars of the series attended the Los Angeles premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 4 at the Egyptian Theatre. Among them, Meghann Fahy, Eve Hewson and Adina Porter also stepped out to celebrate the occasion.

The Perfect Couple premieres Sept. 5 on Netflix.

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