Freddie Lounds
The tabloid blogger who always looks her best while chasing the worst.
Freddie Lounds is a tabloid blogger who runs a true crime website called TattleCrime. She reports on some of the murders investigated by Will Graham, and sometimes complicates these investigations or is used to spread information to influence killers. In the television series Hannibal, she is recast as a shifty redheaded female, played by Lara Jean Chorostecki. The character is described as an equally sleazy journalist, but in a more sophisticated way — fresh, central, high fashion, always looking her best.
Quick Facts
- Role
- Tabloid Journalist
- First appears
- Season 1
- Portrayed by
- Lara Jean Chorostecki
Lore & Background
Freddie Lounds is introduced in the episode 'Amuse-Bouche', where she snoops around a crime scene to write a story about Will Graham and 'The Minnesota Shrike'. The killer, Garret Jacob Hobbs, uses her stories to stay a step ahead of the FBI. She is caught engaging in unethical journalism on several occasions, once by Hannibal Lecter when she attempts to secretly tape record a conversation between them. She meets the brother of Cassie Boyle and reveals that Hobbs' daughter Abigail is out of the hospital, suspecting correctly that Abigail helped her father kill Boyle.
She also writes an article implying Will Graham is able to empathize with psychopaths because he is one himself. Jack Crawford and Dr. Alana Bloom make a deal with Lounds to write a story about Dr. Abel Gideon, a patient at the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane who murdered a nurse. The murder was committed in a manner reminiscent of the Chesapeake Ripper. Hoping to provoke the real Ripper, they have Lounds write that Gideon is believed to be the Chesapeake Ripper.
Later, Gideon escapes custody and forces Lounds to write an article about him, making her assist as he surgically removes organs from Dr. Frederick Chilton.
Reader's Guide
Freddie Lounds represents the intrusive eye of tabloid media in a world of serial killers. Her character is driven by an insatiable need for exclusive scoops, often blurring ethical lines. She is a survivor who understands the darkness better than most, having been forced to assist in a surgical mutilation by Abel Gideon. Her relationships are transactional: with Jack Crawford, she trades information for access; with Hannibal Lecter, she senses his darkness early but lacks concrete proof.
Her survival instincts are sharpened by constant exposure to violence, making her uniquely qualified to navigate between law enforcement and criminal underworlds. Actor Lara Jean Chorostecki noted that the change from a male character to a female character provided a great deal of room for interpretation. Hannibal producer Bryan Fuller suggested she study the case of Rebekah Brooks, an editor of News of the World charged in a widely reported telephone hacking conspiracy.
Paul Doro of Shock Till You Drop questioned the premise of 'a writer for TattleCrime.com, who somehow manages to penetrate crime scenes and gain access to highly secure facilities despite being a notorious tabloid journalist'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Freddie Lounds?
She is a sensationalist tabloid journalist based in Baltimore who specializes in covering high-profile criminal cases. Portrayed by Lara Jean Chorostecki, she operates outside official protocols to trade gossip for exclusive access to FBI agents and suspects.
What role does Freddie play regarding the Chesapeake Ripper?
Freddie relentlessly pursues stories about the killer, often publishing information that puts pressure on the investigation team. Her fixation leads her to incorrectly identify Will Graham as the suspect during the first season.
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