▁crime ▁novel ▁Every ▁Secret ▁Th ing ▁written ▁by ▁Laura ▁Li pp man , ▁and ▁that ▁she ▁would ▁produce ▁the ▁film ▁with ▁a ▁business ▁partner , ▁Anthony ▁B reg man . ▁On ▁July ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁Vari ety ▁posted ▁the ▁news ▁that ▁N icole ▁Hol of c ener ▁had ▁dram at ized ▁the ▁script ▁for ▁the ▁film ▁from ▁Li pp man ' s ▁novel ▁and ▁Amy ▁J . ▁Berg ▁was ▁sl ated ▁to ▁direct ▁the ▁film ; ▁it ▁would ▁mark ▁her ▁narr ative ▁director ial ▁debut . ▁ ▁Cast ing ▁ ▁D iane ▁Lane , ▁who ▁was ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁cast ▁by ▁producer ▁Mc D orm and , ▁was ▁signed ▁to ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Helen ▁Mann ing , ▁the ▁mother ▁of ▁Alice ▁Mann ing , ▁an ▁ 1 8 - year - old ▁girl ▁who ▁becomes ▁a ▁suspect ▁in ▁the ▁disapp earance ▁of ▁a ▁missing ▁child . ▁On ▁September ▁ 9 , ▁Elizabeth ▁B anks ▁also ▁signed ▁to ▁co - star ▁with ▁Lane . ▁B anks ' s ▁character , ▁Det ect ive ▁Nancy ▁Por ter , ▁finds ▁herself ▁em otion ally ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁case . ▁On ▁February ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Dak ota ▁F anning ▁and ▁Daniel le ▁Mac don ald ▁joined ▁Lane ▁and ▁B anks ▁in ▁the ▁cast ▁of ▁the ▁film . ▁F anning ▁was ▁signed ▁for ▁the ▁lead , ▁Ver onica ▁" R on nie " ▁Full er , ▁ 1 8 - year - old , ▁who