Freddie Lounds

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.

In Their Own Story

Freddie Lounds attempts to convince Abigail Hobbs to let her write a book about her father, both for monetary gain and to clear Abigail of involvement in her father's crimes. This is met with grave concern from Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter, both of whom have helped Abigail cover up her 'accidental murder' of Cassie Boyle's brother. Lounds joins Graham and Abigail for a dinner served by Lecter, but while the other guests dine on meat, Lounds informs them that she is a vegetarian. When Gideon lures Lounds into a trap by pretending to be a psychiatrist who wishes to be interviewed, he instead shows her the psychiatrist's dead body and forces her to write an article. He makes her assist as he surgically removes organs from the still-conscious Dr. Frederick Chilton, intending to leave a 'gift basket' for the Ripper. When the FBI arrives, Gideon has fled, and Lounds must keep Chilton alive.

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'.

Did You Know?

• Freddie Lounds runs a true crime website called TattleCrime.
• She is a vegetarian, as revealed when she informs Hannibal Lecter at a dinner party.
• She was forced by Abel Gideon to assist in surgically removing organs from Dr. Frederick Chilton.
• The character was inspired by Rebekah Brooks, an editor of News of the World charged in a phone hacking conspiracy.
• Lara Jean Chorostecki described this version of Lounds as 'fresh and central and so high fashion, she always looks her best'.