Bud Mularkey, one of the characters in Netflix's Firefly Lane, is the father of Kate Mularkey played by Scottish actor Paul McGillion. He is the one whose funeral Kate and Tully attended at the end of Season 1. While the show doesn't disclose the cause of his death in the first season, we learn that he died in his sleep while sitting in an armchair after Thanksgiving dinner in 2004.
Firefly Lane is a Netflix drama series that follows the lives of two best friends at different points in their lives. The narrative jumps back and forth in time at random, and the story is told in flashbacks and flashforwards. Tully Hart and her free-spirited flower-child mother move to Firefly Lane in Snohomish, Washington, in the 1970s, right across the street from high school outcast Kate Mularkey, and the two 14-year-old girls become best friends.
Kate and Tully have always loved and supported one another, even when they were younger. They deal with heartbreak, trauma, marriage, and career ups and downs as a group. Their presence in each other's lives is unwavering and constant until they have a major falling out. Firefly Lane is a touching and emotional story about the unbreakable bonds of a lifelong friendship.
Recently, season 2 of the Netflix series was released on Friday, December 2, and viewers all over the world binge-watched it all at once. The 10-part series is based on author Kristin Hannah's New York Times Bestseller of the same name. The drama has left viewers with some unanswered questions about the characters and plot points. Likewise, who really is Bud in the series? So, let's dig it out!
Bud Mularkey Is the Father of Kate Mularkey in Netflix’s Firefly Lane: The Character, Played by Scottish Actor Paul McGillion, Dies at the End of Season 1 of the Show!
Bud Mularkey, played by Scottish actor Paul McGillion (@paulymcgillion), is Kate Mularkey's father on Netflix Firefly Lane. While the show focuses on the main characters Kate and her best friend Tully Hart, the cast also includes Ben Lawson as Kate's ex Johnny Ryan, and Beau Garrett as Tully's mother Cloud.
He appears as Bud several times in Firefly Lane flashbacks to the 1970s when Kate and Tully are teenagers. In season one, the main plot revolves around him because Kate's mother, Margie, is having an affair. Bud is triggered after having Tully's mother Cloud over at the family home, and he gives Margie an ultimatum: she must choose between him and the man with whom she is having an affair. She eventually chooses him, and the couple continues their marriage.
Bud was again mentioned in the final episode of Firefly Lane season one when we learn that the person whose funeral/death Kate and Marah are seen attending in the near future is Bud.
However, season one does not explicitly state the cause of his death, but clues at the time pointed to a heart attack, given that he had previously suffered one in the 1980s. In season two, we learn that Bud died in his sleep while sitting in an armchair after Thanksgiving dinner in 2004, and Kate discovers her deceased father. Despite the flashback nature of Firefly Lane, we continue to see Bud throughout the second season, particularly in scenes with Kate and the rest of the Mularkey family.
Bud actor Paul McGillion is a Scottish actor who has appeared on television, in films, and in plays. The Firefly Lane cast is best known for his role as Dr. Carson Beckett in the television series Stargate Atlantis, The Flash, and Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce (in which he co-starred with Beau Garrett).
Is Firefly Lane on Netflix Based on a True Story?
No, the Netflix Firefly Lane, is not based on a true story. The series is based on Kristin Hannah's novel of the same name. Although the book is fictitious, the author, Kristin has stated that she drew inspiration and some parallels from her own life in the 1970s and 1980s. Hannah writes about things and places she knows and loves. As a result, the pop culture references, songs, clothing, and overall lifestyle depicted in her book are all based on her memories of that era and her younger days.
Firefly Lane is supposed to be a fictional road on the banks of the Pilchuck River in Snohomish, Washington. Hannah mentions on her website that she attended the University of Washington and thus has vivid memories of the surrounding areas that serve as the setting for 'Firefly Lane.' The story is fictional, but most of the locations that appear in the story exist in real life.
It's a story as old as time, dating back to the dawn of human friendship. Even if we are estranged from our former best friend, feelings of love, trust, and fellowship remain, though they become buried deeper the longer the estrangement lasts. We don't easily get over extremely close friendships. While the story of Firefly Lane is not true, the elements that comprise it are very real and relatable.
Before leaving, find out why Kate is mad at Tully.
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