Summary
Cleo’s son has a chronic illness in Apple’s new murder mystery seriesLady in the Lake. Starring Natalie Portman in her first-ever leading role in a television series,Lady in the Lakeis based on the 2019 bestselling novel by Laura Lippman.Portman plays Maddie Schwartz, a Jewish housewife in 1966 Baltimorewho leaves her restrictive family life behind to follow her true passion of becoming an investigative journalist. The death of a woman named Cleo Johnson (Moses Ingram) gives Maddie a new opportunity.
Lady in the Lakeepisodes 1 & 2, which were both released exclusively on Apple TV+ on June 17, 2025, dive into the murky backstory ofMaddie’s relationship with the Durst family after their youngest, 11-year-old Tessie, goes missing. It also chronicles the final days of Cleo Johnson’s life and her brief interaction with Maddie at the start of the series that would become a full-blown haunting.Cleo is based on the real-life Shirley Parker, who was presumably murdered in 1969.
Cleo’s Younger Son Has Sickle Cell Anemia In Lady In The Lake
Samir Royal plays Lionel Johnson, who has sickle cell anemia
Cleo Johnson has two sons in Lady in the Lake, just as the real-life Shirley Parker did. Tyrik Johnson plays the oldest of the two named Teddy whileSamir Royal plays the younger Lionel Johnson, who has sickle cell anemia. This is briefly discussed inLady in the Lakeas the audience gets an inside look at Cleo Johnson’s inner world and family life before her tragic murder. The series also focuses on the murder of a young girl named Tessie Durst.
According to theNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, “Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders that affect hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen through the body. Normally, red blood cells are disc-shaped and flexible enough to move easily through the blood vessels. In sickle cell disease, red blood cells become crescent- or “sickle”-shaped due to a genetic mutation.” Sickle cell disease is a lifelong illness.
Lady In The Lake Soundtrack Guide: Every Song & When They Play In Apple TV+’s Thriller Show
The new Apple series Lady in the Lake features several great songs from the 1960s including several original covers of classic tracks from that era.
Cleo’s Son’s Illness Ties Into Lady In The Lake’s Deeper Themes
The fact that Lionel has sickle cell anemia ties intoLady in the Lake’sdeeper themes about class discrimination and race relations. Sickle cell anemia is a condition that disproportionately affects black people. “About 1 in 13 Black or African American babies are born with sickle cell trait. About 1 in every 365 Black or African American babies are born with sickle cell disease” (via NHLBI). In the same vein as Cleo’s overlooked murder, Lionel’s chronic illness may be ignored by white authorities and public health service, especially sinceLady in the Lakeis set in 1960s Baltimore.
Source:National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
