Barbara Sabich is one of the main characters of the Apple TV+ streaming series Presumed Innocent. She is portrayed by Ruth Negga.
Biography[]
Barbara is the wife of Rusty and the mother of both Kyle and Jaden.
Appearances[]
Bases Loaded[]
Upon learning the news of his co-worker's death, Carolyn Polhemus, Rusty, pulls Barbara aside and informs her.
That same day, Barbara watches a newscast about it, but stops it midway and joins Rusty in bed, and they talk about how Nico exploited Carolyn's death for his benefit. While Barbara promises to be there for Rusty, she refuses to attend Carolyn's memorial.
Eventually, Barbara and her children watch a newscast featuring Rusty, who is swarmed by the press and praises Raymond. That night, Barbara confronts Rusty about whether or not he's working on Carolyn's case, and he indirectly confirms that he is. Barbara soon mentions that his affair with Carolyn nearly cost them their marriage, and it'd break her if he went "silent" because of the case.
Rusty mentions Barbara during his session with his psychiatrist, Liz Rush, where he talks about his affair with Carolyn and how it affected his marriage with her.
When news breaks that Nico has won his election against Raymond, Barbara and her family watch the press conference Nico gives after the fact. Later, she has a heart-to-heart with Rusty about his conversation with Dr. Liz, in which he claims the doctor sided with her more than him. They then talk about his job and continue with that. While Barbara supports Rusty, she enforces that Rusty must stop loving Carolyn.
People vs. Rozat Sabich[]
When Rusty returns home early from work, Rusty drops the bombshell on Barbara, calling her B, that he's not only a suspect in Carolyn's death, but she was pregnant when she died. Despite B noting that their affair ended before the chance of Carolyn having Rusty's child, Rusty admits they had a one-off fling that may have led up to it.
Eventually, B prepares some laundry and watches as Kyle and Jaden play outside. That night, B forces Rusty to confess that he had an affair with Carolyn. The revelation causes Jaden and Kyle to rush to Jaden's room, where B consoles them. The following day, the police arrive at the crack of dawn and search the place.
B and Rusty visited Dr. Liz and discussed the state of their marriage with each other and how Rusty would likely be arrested for Carolyn's murder.
That night, Be enjoys a cigarette in her backyard, when Rusty is arrested for Carolyn's murder. Eventually, B, Kyle, and Jaden attend the arraignment, where Rusty is set free without bond.
At home, B sits beside Rusty and their children, and he thanks them for being there for him.
Discovery[]
B approaches Rusty, asking him about the text he received, and Rusty informs her it's someone who saw him at Carolyn's house the night she died, which he confirms he did. In a state of shock, B walks away.
The next day, B sits and eats breakfast with her family as a group of news reporters stands stationed outside of her house. She later goes to work but is put on indefinite leave by her boss, Kate. That night, she'd talk to her bartender about various topics, including who she is and what she's going through. B also flirts with the bartender a bit, which is discussed with Lo when she visits her the next day.
After Rusty's pre-trial hearing, Rusty talks to his family about how it went, but takes two stark turns when Jaden asks about the evidence against him. The next one was when Kyle asked if he'd take a plea deal, which caused Rusty to retreat to the bathroom. B would later join him and console him.
Eventually, B watched the baseball game that Kyle had participated in.
The Burden[]
B, alongside Rusty, talks to Kyle, who confesses that he rode his bike by Carolyn's house one night and that he knew about his affair with her beforehand. When Kyle gets emotional, B asks to talk to him alone, and she does. She later discloses her findings to Rusty, but an argument between them frustrates her and makes her leave.
Raymond briefly mentions B and someone who is still with him despite her shock at the affair.
Meanwhile, B visits the bar, where she flirted with the bartender the night before. The other bartender there, named Jeanine, greets her. When she asks what drink she wants, the bartender from the other night appears and names it off. B talks with the bartender and learns his name is Clifton. She receives his number from him and later has sex with Rusty.
She'd talk about this with Rusty and about taking responsibility with him. Later, she witnesses Rusty beat Brian Ratzer after he bangs on their door and threatens them.
Pregame[]
After Rusty handles Brian, B consoles the distraught Jaden and later learns from Rusty about why Brian was there and that he won't report what happened to the police.
Eventually, Jaden tells B that Rusty is on the treadmill again, and B claims that it was her idea to do it. Jaden asks B if Dad killed Carolyn, which she claims he didn't. She later overhears Jaden talking to Rusty in her bed.
Sitting at a bar, B considers calling Clifton. When she does, he convinces her to meet him at his house, where they share a kiss.
B's time with Clifton would be discussed with Dr. Liz, and she claims she didn't have sex with him, but questions whether or not she should be proud of that.
On the day of Rusty's trial, she, along with her family, heads to the court via a police presence. She sits with her children in the audience area and watches as the court trial begins.
The Elements[]
Barbara attends the second day of Rusty's trial, and after it, she sits in Raymond's office with Rusty, Mya, and Raymond. The subject of their conversation is to have Barbara appear close to Rusty as a way to convince the jury that despite everything that's going on, she's faithful to Rusty. However, Barbara refuses to act in such a way; she argues that she's living in the darkest hour of her life and that being there is proof enough to assure their claims.
After the third trial day, Barbara paints a portrait in her room.
One night, Barbara breaks down and confesses to Rusty that she had a fling with a bartender named Clifton, which triggers Rusty as he's on trial for murder. Things escalate when Barbara tries to leave, and Rusty apprehends her. She'd later go down into the kitchen and sit at the table.
The next day, Barbara limits her interaction with Rusty and claims that she'll be spending the day with Lo for the day and not be at trial with him that day.
During her visit with Lo, she informs Lo that she told Rusty of her fling with Clifton to Rusty and how he handled it. The concerned Lo notes that from there on out, she'll attend every court day that Barbara attends with her from there on out.
On the next day, Barbara sits next to Lo, who, during Raymond's cross-examination, has a heart attack, leaving her in complete shock.
The Witness[]
Barbara contacts Rusty from home to inform him that she and the kids are home.
That night, Barbara walks in on Rusty as he watches a newscast about the trial.
When news that Rusty will represent himself is announced on the TV, Barbara tells her scornful daughter to have faith in her father.
The following day, Barbara attends the court proceedings, where she watches as Rusty nearly derails the trial where Rusty tries to implicate either Michael or Dalton for Carolyn's murder. After this, Barbara rides home with Rusty and refuses to exchange any words with him.
That night, Barbara lies in bed as Rusty returns home.
As Barbara returns home, the press surrounds her house and asks her questions. Later, she enters the garage where Rusty is running on the treadmill and confronts him about taking Ritalin again, which he defends, but Barbara is unhappy with.
When it's announced that Rusty will represent himself on TV, Barbara watches in shock.
Barbara sits in the audience beside Kyle and Jaden as Rusty testifies and is steamrolled by Tommy's line of questioning. Later that night, Barbara sits beside Rusty at the kitchen table and asks him, "What now?"
The Verdict[]
Barbara is briefly seen sleeping beside Rusty when he receives an important phone call.
That night, Rusty talks to Barbara about the fire poker not being admitted into evidence.
Sometime after the last court day, Barbara, along with Raymond, Mya, and Rusty, discussed how Rusty could use the newest proposed time of death as an alibi that he was home around that time. Barbara volunteers to do it, but it's ruled that she'd be biased in that case. It's also mentioned that Raymond's firm hired a P.I. to follow her and learned about her fling with Clifton.
As Rusty talks to Jaden in the garage, Barbara watches Kyle practice his pitches from the kitchen.
On the day of the closing arguments, Barbara sits beside Jaden and Kyle as Rusty and Tommy give their closing arguments to the jury. Finally, when a verdict is reached, Barbara and the family learn that Rusty was proven innocent. They all later ride on a police escort home.
Sitting in their living room, Barbara tells her family that it all feels unreal.
Eventually, Barbara exercises in the garage until Rusty enters the room and claims that he found her suitcase packed. She claims that Dr. Liz suggested that she take one after the trial. Barbara goes on to claim that it's in case Rusty does anything that would destroy the family again. However, things take a dark turn when Rusty explains his belief that he believes that Barbara was the one who killed Carolyn and what steps he took to cover it up. Despite Barbara denying the accusation, Jaden appears and confesses that she's the one who did it.
After this revelation, Rusty asks that Jaden never reveal this to anyone as Barbara shockingly tries to register everything she had learned there.
Sometime later, Barbara is seen eating with her family.
Trivia[]
Gallery[]