You’ve probably seen the meme. The one where fans argue endlessly about which adaptation of a Stephen King character is "correct." Usually, it’s about Pennywise or Jack Torrance. But lately, the fight has moved to a mousy, brilliant, and deeply anxious private investigator named Holly Gibney. While HBO’s The Outsider gave us a powerhouse performance by Cynthia Erivo, if you want the version of Holly that feels like she walked straight off the page and into your living room, you have to talk about Justine Lupe in Mr. Mercedes.
Honestly, it’s weird that we don’t talk about it more. Lupe didn't just play a role; she basically invented a blueprint for a character that Stephen King admits he’s obsessed with.
The Holly Gibney Nobody Saw Coming
When Mr. Mercedes premiered on Audience Network (a channel basically no one had), it felt like a gamble. Brendan Gleeson was there as the grumpy, retired Bill Hodges, and Jharrel Jerome was the tech-savvy Jerome Robinson. Then comes Holly.
Justine Lupe didn't play Holly as a "cool" detective. She played her as a woman who looked like she was constantly vibrating at a frequency only dogs could hear. She was mousy. She was terrified. She was living under the thumb of an overbearing mother who treated her like a child.
🔗 Read more: Blink-182 Mark Hoppus: What Most People Get Wrong About His 2026 Comeback
But then she’d open her mouth.
Lupe nailed that specific staccato, hurried way of speaking where Holly sounds like she's second-guessing her own existence while simultaneously being the smartest person in the room. In the first season, she’s almost a background character, but by the time we get to the "Happy Slapper" incident—where she saves Hodges by smashing the killer’s head in with a sock full of ball bearings—it’s her show.
How Justine Lupe in Mr. Mercedes Changed the Character
A lot of people don’t realize that Holly was supposed to be a minor character in the books. King liked her so much he kept writing her. Lupe seemed to intuitively understand that "more" wasn't "better" when it came to Holly's neurodivergence. She didn't lean into tropes.
💡 You might also like: Why Grand Funk’s Bad Time is Secretly the Best Pop Song of the 1970s
Instead, Lupe focused on the tics. The way she’d purse her lips. The way she’d avoid eye contact. She actually consulted with her mother, who worked with people on the autism spectrum, to get those sensory details right. It wasn't about being "awkward" for the sake of it; it was about showing a woman who sees the world in high-definition and doesn't have the filters the rest of us take for granted.
The Contrast with HBO’s The Outsider
Look, Cynthia Erivo is incredible. She’s an EGOT-caliber talent. But her version of Holly in The Outsider felt like a different human being. She was more of a "savant" with almost supernatural hunches.
Justine Lupe in Mr. Mercedes was a nerd who loved movies and hated her mother. She was more human. She felt like someone you’d actually meet at a comic book shop or a tech repair desk. When Lupe’s Holly gets a win, you feel it because you’ve seen her struggle just to walk through a doorway without a panic attack.
📖 Related: Why La Mera Mera Radio is Actually Dominating Local Airwaves Right Now
The Evolution Across Three Seasons
One of the best things about the show was watching Lupe evolve. In Season 1, she’s a "wallflower." By Season 3, she’s a partner at Finders Keepers. She’s standing in a courtroom, testifying with a level of confidence that would have been impossible for her twenty episodes earlier.
She even reclaimed the Mercedes. Remember that? The car used for the initial massacre? Most people would want it crushed. Holly has it painted yellow. It’s a macabre, weird, and perfectly "Holly" move that Lupe sold with a shrug that said, "Why wouldn't I?"
Why You Should Revisit the Performance
If you’ve only ever read the books or watched the HBO series, you’re missing the definitive version of this character. Lupe’s performance is so strong that King actually had her narrate the audiobook for his 2023 novel Holly. That’s the ultimate seal of approval. When the author hears your voice in his head when he’s writing his favorite character, you’ve basically won acting.
The show isn't always easy to find—it hopped around from Audience to Peacock—but it’s worth the hunt. It’s a masterclass in how to play a character who is "broken" without making them a victim.
Actionable Steps for the Constant Reader:
- Watch Season 1, Episode 8: This is where Lupe’s Holly truly becomes the heart of the show. Her chemistry with Brendan Gleeson is the anchor for the rest of the series.
- Listen to the "Holly" Audiobook: Since Lupe narrates it, it acts as a spiritual 4th season of the show. You can hear her sliding back into that specific vocal cadence immediately.
- Compare the "Jibber-Jibber" scenes: Look at how the show handles her childhood trauma compared to the books. Lupe uses those insults as fuel for her character's growth rather than just sad backstory.
- Check out Finders Keepers: If you’re a fan of the mystery genre, skip the supernatural stuff for a bit and watch the investigative procedural elements of Season 2 and 3. It’s some of the best detective work on television.