Poker Face episode 1 spoilers follow.
Sterling Frost Jr actor Adrien Brody has broken down his character's shocking Poker Face fate.
In Rian Johnson's new mystery series, Oscar-winner Brody (The Pianist) plays a deceiving casino boss opposite Natasha Lyonne's waitress-cum-truth-hunter Charlie Cale (she knows when people are lying), who uncovers his plot to cheat a high-roller out of his dough at a private poker match.
But when she uncovers him, the desperate Sterling dramatically throws himself off a balcony, leaving Charlie on the run with an enforcer named Cliff and Sterling's powerful father seeking revenge.
Related: Riverdale and Watchmen stars join cast of upcoming mystery drama Poker Face
"There's just a deep underlying lack of self-worth and insecurity that comes from the circumstances that he was raised in, not just with his father," Brody told TVLine of his character's fatal move.
"Some of the privileges that he was afforded kind of caused irreparable damage in his developmental years, and now that he's at an age where he really wants to be taken seriously and take things to the next level, I think it's a bit of proving it to himself as well.
"The failure and the embarrassment is so great that it's a bit of hari-kari, you know. He can't find a way out of that one. It's tragic."
Related: Peaky Blinders' Adrien Brody explains why his character was a dream role
Asked whether Lyonne's detective should be concerned for her safety with Sterling's dad on her tail, he went on to share: "I would be pretty worried about him. A mob boss gangster powerful man who runs a casino in Reno who knows all about you, and you just ruined his business and his son? I think I'd be pretty scared."
As for why he joined the cast of Poker Face, with only a quick one-and-out character arc to explore, Brody added: "What drew me was the chance to work with Rian again. We worked together on [2008 movie The] Brothers Bloom, and it was a wonderful time together.
"We've stayed in touch, and I've enjoyed his work immensely, and he continues to do great work, and this was just a well-written role."
Poker Face streams on Peacock in the US.
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Dan is a freelance entertainment journalist. Beginning his writing career in 2014, Dan's work first graced the pages of cult publications Starburst magazine and Little White Lies before moving onto Total Film, Digital Spy, NME and Yahoo Entertainment.
In the film and TV universe, he kneels at the altar of Jim Carrey, Daniel Plainview, Mike Ehrmantraut and Paulie Walnuts.
![ncis 1000 gary cole as alden parker, wilmer valderrama as nicholas nick torres, brian dietzen as jimmy palmer, katrina law as jessica knight, and sean murray as timothy mcgee](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/ncis-1000-cast-661ed70df1fa6.jpg?crop=0.716xw:1.00xh;0.143xw,0&resize=360:* "NCIS 1000 Gary Cole as Alden Parker, Wilmer Valderrama as Nicholas "Nick" Torres, Brian Dietzen as Jimmy Palmer, Katrina Law as Jessica Knight, and Sean Murray as Timothy McGee")