The Stolen Girl is Disney+’s gripping new drama that's set to have audiences on the edge of their seats. Based on the bestselling novel The Playdate by Alex Dahl, the series delves into the chilling aftermath of a girl who doesn't come home from a sleepover, unravelling a web of secrets and suspense.
What is the plot of The Stolen Girl?
When nine-year-old Lucia asks to attend her first sleepover at her new friend Josie's house, her mother, Elisa (Denise Gough), is initially hesitant. Then, after meeting Josie's mother, Rebecca (Holliday Grainger), and seeing the beautiful, well-kept home, she begins to feel more at ease and agrees.
However, when Eliza and her husband Fred (Jim Sturgess) come to pick up their daughter the next day, they're plunged into turmoil as they discover that the house is now empty, as a cleaner informs them that "no one lives here".
As the mystery unfolds, viewers are left grappling with Rebecca's hidden motives for taking Elisa's daughter and questioning whether a reunion between Elisa and Lucia is within reach.
The Stolen Girl cast
Denise Gough as Elisa Blix
Eliza Blix is married to Fred, and they have two children, a daughter and a son. Their lives are turned upside down when their eldest child, Lucia, is taken after going to a sleepover at her new friend's house.
She is portrayed by Irish actress Denise Gough, best known for her role as Paula in the BBC revenge thriller and as Connie Mortenson, a mother accused of a heinous crime, in ITV's Too Close.
Holliday Grainger as Rebecca Walsh
Rebecca (actually called Nina) steals Lucia during a sleepover with her daughter Josephine, "Josie".
The complex character is portrayed by Holliday Grainger, known for her role as Robin Ellacott in the long-running detective series Strike and as Rachel Carey in The Capture, the surveillance, conspiracy thriller which is returning for its third season.
Jim Sturgess as Fred Blix
Husband of Elisa, Fred, gets thrust into the spotlight with his wife after secrets are uncovered during the investigation into their daughter's disappearance.
Jim Sturgess is Fred. The actor is best known for playing Dexter in the film adaptation of David Nicholl's book One Day, alongside Anne Hathaway as his friend and love interest Emma.
Ambika Mod as Selma Desai
Selma Desai is an inquisitive journalist writing for Dash Voice, who digs deeper into the case of the missing young girl when the police fail to prioritise the abduction.
Stepping into the shoes of Selma is Ambika Mod, the actress who rose to fame playing Emma in the Netflix adaptation of One Day. She is also known for her BAFTA-worthy performance as Shruti in This Is Going To Hurt.
Bronagh Waugh as DI Shona Sinclair
Lead detective Shona Sinclair is determined to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of Lucia, the Blix family’s daughter.
The role is played by Bronagh Waugh, who was Cheryl Brady in Hollyoaks from 2009 to 2013, DI Carol Farman in Ridley and Jessica Reid in series 3 of Unforgotten. Viewers may also recognise the star as Sally Anne Spector, the wife of Jamie Dornan's Paul Spector in the hit BBC drama The Fall.
Layo-Christina Akinlude as DS Lizzie Walker
DS Lizzie Walker is DI Shonagh Sinclair's partner, who's working with her to solve the case of the missing child.
Rising star Layo-Christina Akinlude plays the detective. She has recently appeared in Kaos, Falling Into Place and The End of the F*****g World.
Michael Workeye as Kaleb Negasi
Selma's "exasperated editor" is Kaleb Negassi. He is telling her to drop the case and focus her attention on other stories.
Stepping into this role is Michael Workeye, who can be seen as Maria's boyfriend, Kae, in Bete Noire, the second episode of Black Mirror season 7. He has also been in This Is Going To Hurt and can be seen in the upcoming Lynley adaptation.
The Stolen Girl trailer
In the trailer, Elisa and Fred knock on the door of the home that they believe to be Rebecca's, ready to collect their daughter, but instead a woman answers saying that she's the cleaner and the house is unoccupied.
The couple can be seen hugging and crying, going through the agony that you'd expect to see from the parents of a stolen child, before they do a missing person appeal, where Elisa pleads with Rebecca/Nina: "I'm asking you now, one mother to another, please let her come back home safely".
The detective tells the couple that "Everything she [Rebecca] told you may have been false" and Fred replies with "Why would anyone do that?". However, in a later snippet, journalist Selma asks "Why Lucia, why you? This was planned meticulously" to Elisa, in which she replies with "You can't talk about this. You can't write about this" and Selma tells someone (her editor?) on the phone that she thinks that the missing girl's mother is hiding something, as why else wouldn't she want more coverage to help find her abducted child?
The plot thickens when Rebecca/Nina whispers to Lucia "You need to know; I'm your mother".
Where can I watch The Stolen Girl?
The Stolen Girl will be available to stream on Disney+ in the UK starting April 16, 2025.
You will need a subscription to stream the series and access other content.
Disney+www.disneyplus.com
One month of Disney+ is currently £4.99 and this will give you access to all of the content on Disney+, with no extra cost. You can cancel this at any time.
You can also save money in the long term by getting 12 months for the price of 10 with an annual subscription (compared to paying monthly) with a Premium or Standard plan.
Is The Stolen Girl based on a book?
Yes, the bestselling book Playdate has been adapted into The Stolen Girl series for Disney+.
AmazonArabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who is passionate about TV, film and theatre. She enjoys cooking, scrapbooking, playing board games and going on walks with her three dogs.