Sam Worthington credits his wife’s recommendation for his involvement in Netflix’s new hit series “I Will Find You,” a suspenseful adaptation of a novel by Harlan Coben. The show centers on Worthington’s character, David Burroughs, a man convicted of fatally assaulting his young son. After serving five years in prison, David escapes with the assistance of his sister-in-law Rachel, portrayed by Britt Lower, a Boston Globe reporter determined to prove his innocence and uncover the truth about his son’s fate.
The series also features Milo Ventimiglia as Hayden, Rachel’s affluent ex-boyfriend, and Madeline Stowe as Hayden’s enigmatic mother. FBI agents played by Logan Browning and Chi McBride are tasked with tracking down the fugitive David.
Worthington said he initially hesitated about taking the role, but his wife’s enthusiasm as a longtime Harlan Coben fan convinced him to accept the part. “She said, ‘You got to take that call,’ because it was something she would want to watch,” he recalled. Early access to the episodes sparked intense interest within his family: both his wife and their 11-year-old son binged the show over a single weekend.
Netflix announced that “I Will Find You” was streamed 24 million times in its first four days, marking the platform’s most successful series launch of 2026. Worthington noted that author Coben estimated this audience could translate to nearly 60 million viewers total when accounting for multiple viewers per household.
David Burroughs is a reserved character whose primary goal is to find his son. Worthington advocated for a portrayal that emphasized emotional depth over traditional action hero traits. He requested reducing his character’s dialogue in favor of letting other characters deliver exposition, allowing David’s internal struggle to drive the narrative. Worthington explained that the creative team initially envisioned a more conventionally heroic lead, but he preferred to position Rachel as the hero and David more as a “damsel in distress” figure. This approach aimed to distinguish the series from typical genre fare by focusing on subtle emotion rather than overt dramatics.
As the storyline progresses, David and Rachel’s relationship grows closer, with the finale suggesting a hint of romance through a simple hand-holding scene. Worthington acknowledged that some viewers were surprised by the pairing due to their familial connection, noting the production deliberately avoided overt romantic developments to prevent the show from veering into telenovela territory. Instead, the understated gesture underscores the series’ central theme of hope amid adversity.