Happy Face: Is Ennis Breeze Based on a Real True Crime Author?

While ‘Happy Face’ is stacked with a colorful cast of characters, the show continues introducing new people who add to the increasingly chaotic story about serial killers, crime, family, and drama. In episode 6, Hazel is rescued by a mysterious man in a truck who is content with running errands for her grandfather, Keith. His creepy demeanor mirrors Keith’s unsettling presence, showcasing that the serial killer has a host of helpers outside his cell. As Hazel starts talking with the driver, she learns that his real name is Ennis Breeze, a true crime author with an obsession with Keith’s murders and writing tabloid articles about the Reed family. His presence showcases how far-reaching Melissa’s announcement on ‘The Dr. Greg Show’ had in reality while also raising his prominence in the narrative.

Ennis Breeze is a Fictional Author With Close Ties to Keith

Although inspired by true life events, ‘Happy Face’ operates in a twilight zone between reality and fiction, using both to furnish a dramatic story. The narrative is mainly drawn from the real-life experiences of Melissa Moore, the daughter of serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson. However, some aspects are creatively reimagined to craft a more thrilling tale. This is likely the case with Ennis Breeze, a true crime author who is fictional in conception. While there is no seeming connection between him and any real-life figures, the character plays a pivotal role in the shadows as he helps Keith do his bidding in the outside world without ever having to leave the walls of his prison cell. He may be vaguely inspired by other true crime authors who used Keith as the subject of their writing, but these links are superficial at best.

Ennis enters the narrative after Hazel is ditched by her friends at the Pioneer Falls motel, where she waits patiently for her grandfather to help her out. The true crime author drives by the motel in Keith’s stead, offering Hazel a ride back to her home. During the trip, he learns about Hazel’s predicament and asks her to think about getting some form of retribution against the friends who humiliated her and left her by herself at the motel. Later in the narrative, Ben calls the man to confront him about harassing Hazel, not knowing that he was helping her instead. Ennis tells him the truth, leaving Ben with a lot to chew upon as he understands the gravity of the situation. It sparks him to conduct a quick investigation to discover what his daughter has been up to over the past few days.

Throughout the show, it is teased that Keith has a contingent of followers outside prison who are ready to do his bidding. However, we are never shown this until Ennis appears. It proves that Keith is not lying, even though this part of the narrative is likely fictional. Intriguingly, there is a real-life following for his artwork online, proving that not everything is fictionally conceived. The complex dynamics of Keith’s prison sentence are captured in Ennis’ arrival and how there might be more things at play than meets the eye. While Melissa has been focusing on Elijah’s case, Keith has been working on multiple cases at once, mainly due to his contingent of helpers like Ennis, who step in when needed. Thus, the fictional character adds some edge to the narrative and brings up another dangerous element.