Amanda Seyfried fascinated, curious about Elizabeth Holmes in her portrayal on Hulu's 'The Dropout'

HOLLYWOOD -- The rise and fall of Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes has been written about and it's been the subject of podcasts. Now, it's the basis of a new Hulu TV series, "The Dropout."

It stars Amanda Seyfried as Holmes, a woman once celebrated for her ground-breaking idea but who was later convicted after duping investors. She claimed her company Theranos had technology that could detect diseases and conditions just from a few drops of blood.

Naveen Andrews co-stars as the COO of her company, and her boyfriend, who was also indicted for fraud.

Even after doing a deep-dive into this real life character, Seyfried says she's not sure she really knows who Holmes is.

"Does anybody? That's why she's so fascinating. I will be forever fascinated and curious," said Seyfried. "I think it's very fair and very kind to portray somebody before they've gotten into this kind of mess. Because we're just adding a little context, and everybody needs a little context. We're not like not excusing anything, it's like everybody starts somewhere!"

"They're human beings," said Andrews.

"Don't we all want to know the motives? If we're fascinated by somebody, by their story or by their actions, that really makes me want to know them more. And if I find a little bit of compassion, I'm better for it then," Seyfried said.

"The Dropout" is streaming on Hulu now.

The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of Hulu and this ABC station.